Shock as popular Leeds city centre eatery Pizza Fella to close due to cost of living crisis and lack of footfall

Pizza Fella on Vicar Lane will close its doors on Saturday June 10.

The restaurant has been open since 2016.

In 2014 co-owner and pizza chef Miles learnt how to make proper Neapolitan pizza with a stint at pizza school in Naples.

"We then bought Claude our Citroen H van fitted with a wood fired oven and started trading at street food markets, weddings and festivals across the north”, the owner states on the business website.

"After two and half years honing our dough making skills we brought our wood fired pizza from the streets and fields to establish our first permanent home.”

However, the restaurant is now set to close after a “really tough three years”.

A combination of the cost of living crisis, increase in the cost of ingredients, “ridiculously” high energy bills and footfall in the centre dropping because of people working from home has left the business “just not making enough money” according to the owners.

The announcement in full – posted on Instagram – reads: “Important Announcement It’s with very heavy hearts that we’re sorry to say that Pizza Fella will be closing its doors on Sat 10th June. Like many other hospitality businesses, we’ve have had a really tough three years.

“We’d just about got through Covid, then hit by cost of living crisis, increases in the cost of ingredients and materials, ridiculously high energy bills and footfall in the centre of Leeds falling due to more people working from home—the business is just not making enough money. It’s been a very tough decision and hard to come to terms with. We’ve got an awesome team, an amazing bunch of customers, and sling out arguably the best pizzas in Leeds.

"But, our lease has come to and end and we don’t have the financial or emotional resources needed to keep Pizza Fella going. So will not be renewing it. Thank you to all our lovely customers for supporting us and getting us this far. It would mean the world to us if you can pop in and see us over our last few weeks—let’s go out on a high. Much love Miles & Helen.”