Pret a Manger store in Milton Keynes survives nationwide cull

the sandwich shop chain is the latest among a string of high street food chains to announce branch closures. These include Bella Italia, Cafe Rouge and Las Iguanas.

Pret today announced that 30 of its UK stores will be closing permanently after being temporarily shut during the coronavirus lockdown.

Now it has published a list of the branches to be closed, but the store at intu in MK does not feature on it. The Pret outlet at CMK rail station also appears to be spared.

The closures elsewhere reflect "lower footfall, rental costs and new safety measures”, says the company, whose sales have fallen 74 per cent from last year.

Pret CEO Pano Christou said: “When the coronavirus hit, we said that our priority was to protect our people, our customers, and of course Pret. We confirmed it was our intention to do everything we could to save jobs.

“Although we were able to do that through the lockdown, thanks in particular to the government’s vital support, we cannot defy gravity and continue with the businesses model we had before the pandemic.”

He added: “It’s a sad day for the whole Pret family, and I’m devastated that we will be losing so many employees.

“These decisions are not a reflection on anyone’s work or commitment, but we must make these changes to succeed in the new retail environment.”