Papa Johns to close five 'under-performing' Yorkshire restaurants in Barnsley, Doncaster, Harrogate, Leeds and Rotherham

The takeaway business confirmed plans to axe the “underperforming” locations after launching a review at the start of the year.

Those closing in Yorkshire include branches in Barnsley, Doncaster, Harrogate, Meanwood in Leeds and Rotherham.

Sites in Darlington, Middlesbrough and Scunthorpe will also be shutting down.

The firm said it will close the restaurants by mid-May following a consultation process, Papa Johns International said.

The company has not confirmed how many staff will be impacted by closures.

The group had previously said it planned “strategic closures” in order to free up money for investment and improving profitability at its remaining UK sites.

It has now identified 43 restaurants as “underperforming locations that are no longer financially viable”.

Chris Phylactou, managing director at Papa Johns UK, said: “Our priority is our team members, who will be fully supported throughout this process.

“Our goal is to work with impacted team members and attempt to find redeployment opportunities where available.

“We understand the impact this will have on our team members and are committed to supporting them during this time.”

Papa Johns said it plans to increase investment in research and technology, such as better utilising customer data, as part of its UK strategy.

It also said it will look at the development of new types of sites beyond traditional restaurants, such as expanding into holiday parks, and is set to “announce other large retail partners in the coming months”.

Mr Phylactou added: “While this is a difficult decision, closing these underperforming locations will give us the opportunity to invest back into the right locations with the right partners for long-term growth.

“We are focused on driving shared profitable growth across our UK restaurants, by continuing to make improvements to our business to ensure that we are well positioned for the future.

“We have been encouraged by the results so far from these initiatives.”

Of the national closure programme, 16 of the stores that are shutting their doors are in the Greater London area.

Closures are also taking place in Sussex, Merseyside, Essex, County Durham, Surrey, Lancashire, Cheshire, Kent and Hertfordshire.

At the end of last year, the chain marked the re-opening of two stores in Sheffield.

The company said at the time that under new franchised management, the Woodseats Papa Johns, which opened at the end of November, and the Prince of Wales Road store which opened on December 7, will be run by 40 new local team members.

It said it intended to expand its presence by adding more chains in high streets and ‘non traditional’ locations like sports grounds.