Manchester pizza institution Croma has been forced to close its flagship city center restaurant following the pandemic.

The closure will result in the dismissal of 28 staff.

Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, co-founder Andrew Bullock said: “We were hoping to find our way. It’s devastating.

“But as an independent, we just don’t have the clout with owners or the bottom line of big companies.”

The chain only celebrated its 21st anniversary last November with a party at the venue, which unfortunately was closed.

It was the first of the chain’s four restaurants to open in 2000 on Clarence Street behind Albert Square.

Bullock said the low attendance in the city center over Christmas, including Christmas markets absent from the square this year, as well as the growing number of office workers now working from home due to the pandemic, all have helped make the site financially unviable.

“We looked ahead, and we just couldn’t do it,” he continued.

“We just couldn’t cover the costs and we couldn’t see a financial future. You don’t have to be an accountant to see that there weren’t so many people on a Friday night or a Tuesday lunchtime.

The chain was started by co-founders Bullock and Bob Dunn, after leaving the Pizza Express franchise they ran on South King Street to set up on their own, bringing with them many of the employees who still work for the company today. ‘hui.

The remaining three restaurants, in Chorlton, Didsbury and Prestwich, will remain open, with the Prestwich branch actually doing better business than before the pandemic.

The chain also operated Croma Pizzapoint franchises at Odeon cinemas, including one at the Trafford Center, and other locations in Edinburgh, Tunbridge Wells and Loughborough.

However, these also closed in early 2021, as the cinema group was closed due to the second nationwide lockdown.

“It is time for all independents to see how the field is doing,” added Bullock. “We are very happy that our customers have supported us so well, especially recently. We would like to come back to the city center [one day], but we’ll leave it for a moment. There are still hard times ahead.

“But if there is one loss of history here, it certainly isn’t the end of Croma.”