Pizza Hut branch set to close

West Bromwich's Pizza Hut looks set to close as the restaurant chain sells off 21 high street branches across the country.

The company has blamed the decision to sell the town centre restaurant on changing customer trends.

The 90-seat restaurant in West Bromwich will stay open until a buyer is found, bosses promised today.

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 High Street, West Bromwich.

"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."

The announcement comes less than a week after its restaurant in Wolverhampton's Victoria Street was put on the market.

That move could see 26 staff transferred to other branches out of town cen-tres. The company has another branch at Axletree Way in Wednesbury, at the end of the Gallagher Retail Park.

Across the country 21 high street branches of the restaurant are up for sale through auctioneers Fleurets.