![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/sourdough-neapolitan-pizza-business-franco-843126922.jpg\")
<\/p>\nA FAMILY favourite restaurant chain with 70 branches is to close its original site after 15 years, but it's not all bad news for fans.<\/p>\n
Franco Manca opened its first restaurant in Brixton, London, in 2008 and it now operates 70 branches across the UK.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
In a surprise move, the popular chain has confirmed it is set to close its original restaurant.<\/p>\n
But fans upset by the loss will be thrilled to learn they will be getting a brand new and bigger site in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n
In a post on Facebook, the restaurant said: "If you\u2019re a real Franco aficionado, you\u2019ll know that our first ever pizzeria opened in Brixton Market in 2008.<\/p>\n
"After 15 years of serving up delicious pizzas and creating unforgettable memories, we have slowly outgrown this site, so we're excited to announce that we're moving to a much bigger space just down the road!"<\/p>\n
An exact date for the closure is yet to be confirmed and The Sun has asked Franco Manca for more information.<\/p>\n Fans were quick to comment, with one social media user writing: "The restaurant needs to be kept – this is your history."<\/p>\n Writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, another fan said: "Very sad Franco Manca in Brixton is closing."<\/p>\n Another tweeted: "In all seriousness, this is sad."<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n And a third added: "Noticing a lot more retail and restaurant closures of late."<\/p>\n It comes after the owner of Franco Manca and The Real Greek was bought out in a \u00a393million takeover deal.<\/p>\n Fulham Shore swapped hands with\u00a0Japanese\u00a0company Toridoll, which is worth \u00a31.5billion and owns 5,500 stores globally.<\/p>\n The group said it plans to open six new UK restaurants across both brands in the 12 months ending March 2024 – but it's yet to confirm where.<\/p>\n Inflation remains stubbornly high\u00a0meaning households have less expendable cash to burn.<\/p>\n Increased\u00a0energy\u00a0and wage costs are piling further pressure on businesses, including those in the hospitality sector.<\/p>\n Hospitality chiefs warned that ten thousand pubs were at risk of closing if the\u00a0Chancellor\u00a0failed to extend business rates relief in his\u00a0Autumn Statement.<\/p>\n But landlords and landladies at boozers all over Britain gave three cheers to The Sun last week, when alcohol duty was frozen.<\/p>\n Jeremy Hunt\u00a0acknowledged our brilliant Save Our Sups campaign in decided to\u00a0freeze alcohol duty\u00a0and keep a 75% cut in business rates for an extra year.<\/p>\n Retailers\u00a0on the high street have been hit hard too.<\/p>\n Cath Kidston, Paperchase,\u00a0M&Co\u00a0and popular\u00a0discounter Wilko\u00a0have all crashed into\u00a0administration\u00a0this year.<\/p>\n Wilko has since announced plans to return to the high street, with branches in\u00a0Plymouth, Exeter and Luton set to open within weeks.<\/p>\n On Monday,\u00a0Paperchase reopened inside 250 Tesco supermarkets\u00a0in June\u00a0M&Co relaunched online.<\/p>\n A number of retailers have been opening branches as well as closing them too.<\/p>\n In July,\u00a0B&M announced plans to open seven new branches\u00a0in the UK over the following weeks.<\/p>\n Bargain discounter\u00a0Poundland is taking on former Wilko sites\u00a0as well.<\/p>\n And The Cornish Bakery said in September it would\u00a0be looking to open five new stores\u00a0over the following months.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/newspress-collage-24529994-1698312965124.jpg\")
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