Pizza Hut looks to leave city centre

The city centre of Wolverhampton received another blow today when it was announced that Pizza Hut is looking to sell its restaurant.

The move comes on the back of a series of store closures which have seen a number of big name shops leave the high street and means there will be less choice for families looking for a bite to eat in the area.

The company says it wants to switch from its Victoria Street base, which has 70 places, to an out-of-town outlet as that is where its customers want to eat.

The chain, which already has a restaurant at Bentley Bridge development in Wednesfield, today insisted it won't move from the centre unless it finds a buyer.

Offers are being invited for the restaurant's leasehold. If Pizza Hut disappears, it means there will be few places in the city centre where families can eat apart from fast-food takeaways.

Critics, who say the atmosphere of the city needs to change, have pointed to the lack of its 'cafe culture' and the city centre has not been able to attract the likes of Pizza Express, which has a large restaurant in Stafford but has not sought to go into Wolverhampton.

Wolverhampton Council regeneration chief Councillor Paddy Bradley said: "This is another blow for the city and I really wish people would call the town hall before making a decision like this to see if there is anything we could do to help. It would be great to see a variety of different restaurants in the city. But there is a lot of Indian restaurants which is what people want."

Wolverhampton South West MP Rob Marris said: "It is a pity they want to move out of the city centre.

"I think if we could get away from the image, sometimes deserves sometimes not, of Wolverhampton being a drinking centre and make it more attractive for families that would help."

A spokesman for Pizza Hut said: "Changing demographics, and our changing business model, mean that our consumers are now indicating a preference to visit our out- of-town outlets. "With that in mind, we would consider selling our restaurant in Victoria Street. However, at this time we have no plans to close the restaurant unless a suitable buyer is found, which, in turn, will allow us to relocate to an out-of-town facility. In this event, all team members would be offered positions at one of our other restaurants in the area."

Meanwhile, a Wolverhampton restaurant that mysteriously closed two weeks ago is due to reopen next month.

Carlton's Caribbean Cuisine, located at the Old Still Inn in Kings Street, suddenly shut up shop around a fortnight ago. But Enterprise Inns, which owns the site, says it should be back open within the next two weeks.

But Oasis and Dorothy Perkins in Wolverhampton city centre have both closed their doors in recent weeks.