Major fast food chain with 2,000 locations to close ‘friendly’ branch as foodies call move ‘shocking’
A major fast food chain has announced it will close one of its branches, a “shocking” decision.
The fast food giant with 2,000 sites is preparing to close its “friendly” store, much to the dismay of its fans.
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Subway has confirmed it will pull down the shutters at its Queen Street branch in Ipswich.
The company cited the end of the lease as the reason the fast-food arm foreclosed on its business.
The exact date the store will close is unclear, but the lease would expire in November.
A company spokesperson said the franchise is currently exploring relocation options.
The address of the store located at 26-28 Queen Street has already been announced.
Fans reacted to the news and gathered online to express their dismay at the sudden closure.
One person wrote: “Too bad, the staff are lovely at this place. »
Another added: “This is so sad.”
Someone else said: “Literally ruined my day.”
The Queen Street shop has proven popular with locals with an average of 4.2 stars on Google Maps.
Reviewers praised the store as “friendly, fast and efficient” while praising the staff.
One reviewer wrote: “Overall the store is very clean and well organized with fast and friendly service. »
Another added: “Very good service from the staff, lots of charts showing what you can have and what you can add for new arrivals to the restaurant.
“The service was fast and very efficient and the staff were friendly and very helpful.”
A third person commented: “I highly recommend this branch of Subway because of the amazing staff and the tastiest sandwiches. »
It comes as the chain has fundamentally shaken up the way customers order at a number of restaurants – including a divisive one.
The fast-food restaurant announced the launch of new self-service kiosks, a brand new app and an improved loyalty program.
Another recent update is the relaunch of Subway Rewards, allowing customers to earn points on every purchase and then convert them to Subway Cash to use on any menu item, with no minimum spend.
Under the new loyalty program, launched on May 16, customers earn 10 points per £1 spent on up to £149.99 in a calendar year, 11 points per £1 spent between £150 and £349.99 and 12 points per £1 spent above that.
Every 150 points will allow customers to get £1 off in-store orders and, although there is no minimum spend, customers must redeem at least £1 at a time.
Why are retailers closing their stores?
RETAILERS are feeling the pressure since the pandemic, as shoppers cut back on spending due to the soaring cost of living.
High energy costs and the shift to online shopping post-pandemic are also taking a toll, with many high street stores struggling to maintain operations.
The high street has seen a string of closures over the past year, with more to come.
The number of jobs lost in British retail fell last year, but 120,000 people still lost their jobs, figures show.
Figures from the Center for Retail Research reveal that 10,494 stores closed for the last time in 2023 and 119,405 jobs were lost in the sector.
This represents fewer stores than had been lost in several years, and a reduction from the 151,641 jobs lost in 2022.
Center director Professor Joshua Bamfield said the improvement was “less bad” than good.
Although there were losses from big names in the sector, including Wilko, many large companies had already gone bankrupt before 2022, the center said, such as Arcadia, owner of Topshop, Jessops and Debenhams.
“The cost of living crisis, inflation and rising interest rates have led many consumers to tighten their belts, reducing their retail spending,” Professor Bamfield said.
“Retailers themselves have suffered rising energy and occupancy costs, staff shortages and falling demand that have made it extremely difficult to rebuild profits after widespread store closures during the pandemic.
Alongside Wilko, which employed around 12,000 people at the time of its collapse, the biggest failures of 2023 include Paperchase, Cath Kidston, Planet Organic and Tile Giant.
The Center for Retail Research said most stores were closed because companies were trying to reorganize and cut costs rather than going bankrupt.
However, experts warn there are likely to be more failures this year as consumers tighten their belts and borrowing costs soar for businesses.
The Body Shop and Ted Baker are the biggest names to have gone bust already this year.
