An iconic restaurant chain with 150 locations across the UK has announced a major closure update in a blow to thousands of customers.
Toby Carvery has shut down its restaurant at Romford's The Brewery Shopping Centre after operating for 40 years.
Over the weekend, the company confirmed it was handing back the site to its landlord and is looking to move the location's employees to nearby restaurants.
This latest business move comes after Frankie & Benny's recently left the same shopping centre after its own lease expired.
Toby Carvery has shut down its Romford site
|GOOGLE STREET VIEW
A Toby Carvery spokesperson said: "We can confirm the Toby Carvery at Romford will close on May 10 after service and the site will be returned to the landlord.
"This decision has been taken after careful consideration and as part of the continual review of our estate and we are in consultation with the team and hope to redeploy as many employees as possible at our other nearby businesses.
"We'd like to thank our loyal guests and the brilliant team at Romford for their support."
According to the restaurant chain's representative, Toby Carvery "look[s] forward to bringing our famous salad bar and fresh rotisserie back once we've identified the right site".
High streets have been hit by a wave of closures since the pandemic | PALATEST DEVELOPMENTS
Britons flock to Toby Carvery every Sunday for a roast dinner
| PAThe spokesperson also suggested that customers visit nearby Toby Carvery branches in Chadwell Heath or Brentwood for the time being.
Earlier this year, research commissioned by UKHospitalty found that 963 restaurants, 574 hotels, and 540 pubs are forecast to close in 2026 if the Government fails to implement a sector-wide solution to mitigate April's hike to business rates.
As it stands, the average hotel has seen its business rates increase by £28,900 next year and by £205,200 in total over the next three years, representing an increase of 115 per cent.
Furthermore, the average pub's rate has increased 15 per cent next year, an extra £1,400 bill, and by 76 per cent over the next three years.
The restaurant chain is known for its Sunday roasts
| GETTYKate Nicholls, the chair of UKHospitality, said: "Staggering increases to business rates will affect the entire hospitality sector, and without a hospitality-wide solution, we will see significant business closures.
"Thousands of venues, particularly neighbourhood restaurants and local hotels, will be forced to close for good as a result of the significant rate rises they’re facing.
"This is yet another blow to a hospitality sector that bears the highest tax burden in the economy, and has already been disproportionately burdened by increases to NICs, wages, energy and other inputs.
"Hospitality is one of the nation’s biggest employers and has an incredible potential to grow and create jobs, but the money coming in the front door is simply not enough to offset the rocketing costs of doing businesses."