Pizza restaurant pulls out of shopping centre

12:00pm Friday 28th September 2012 in News

The unit back when it was earmarked for a Starbucks. The unit back when it was earmarked for a Starbucks.

PIZZA Express is the second national chain to pull out of taking on a Witney premises that has stood empty for three years.

The popular restaurant has announced it will not open in Witney’s Marriotts Walk Shopping Centre, despite winning planning permission to double the size of the unit last year.

Before Pizza Express expressed an interest, the same unit had been earmarked for a Starbucks, pictured. Hoardings heralding the American chain’s arrival are still in place on the shop front.

Pizza Express said the centre’s new landlords were unable to accommodate their requirements and it was “disappointed” not to be opening in the town.

Marriotts Walk said its letting agent is now in active discussions with a number of other restaurant operators. It was owned by Kandahar Witney Ltd but has been owned by RREEF Witney Ltd since February 1.

Pizza Express property director Mark Jones said: “We were very interested in opening a restaurant in the shopping centre and were in advanced talks with the previous owners of the shopping centre about taking space.

“Due to our requirements in terms of space, we made enquiries about extending the Starbucks unit. Unfortunately, when the new landlords took ownership, we found they were unable to accommodate our request.”

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Marriotts Walk manager Lynne Shawyer said: “We have been working with Pizza Express through our advisors to conclude a new letting.

“Those discussions have been ongoing and if they no longer wish to proceed that is unfortunate.”

Comments(8)

Myron Blatz says...
12:27pm Fri 28 Sep 12

It's all about developers again - the scourge of our towns and villages in Oxfordshire. It also says bucketloads about any real coordination and control of planning by the local authority, and the haphazard way in which towns like Abingdon, Bicester and Witney have been mucked around over the years, seemingly as developers move in and out, abd entire chunks of shopping centres are mutilated in the name of 'progress' and a 'better shopping experience' which is normally developer-speak for maximising profits and raising shop rents - like what the developers want to do af Cowley's John Allen Centre, and what Oxford City Council keeps trying to do with the Covered Market.

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Andrew:Oxford says...
1:08pm Fri 28 Sep 12

It's a shame there are no individuals or companies in the Witney area who are capable of running an independent restaurant on that site.

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H.J.Harris says...
1:15pm Fri 28 Sep 12

Myron Blatz wrote:
It's all about developers again - the scourge of our towns and villages in Oxfordshire. It also says bucketloads about any real coordination and control of planning by the local authority, and the haphazard way in which towns like Abingdon, Bicester and Witney have been mucked around over the years, seemingly as developers move in and out, abd entire chunks of shopping centres are mutilated in the name of 'progress' and a 'better shopping experience' which is normally developer-speak for maximising profits and raising shop rents - like what the developers want to do af Cowley's John Allen Centre, and what Oxford City Council keeps trying to do with the Covered Market.
How do you blame the Planners for this ?
I agree with the point about greedy developers but nothing in this report indicates the Council are to blame, they gave permission for the plan to go ahead but have no control over who owns the premises.

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West Oxon Webwatcher says...
4:46pm Fri 28 Sep 12

You may disagree with many planning decisions but in this case it seems the council planners have agreed what was requested.

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JPOX28 says...
1:57pm Sat 29 Sep 12

Oh well there loss. Would have never went there anyways. There Abingdon store is always empty except weekends. Would prefer a pizza hut, or a chinese resturant.

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xjohnx says...
4:10pm Sat 29 Sep 12

Dear H.J.Harris.

The planners are too blame for originaly permiting develpment of more shops than Witney has businesses for.

Part of the planners task is to avoid 'over development.'

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the wizard says...
11:06am Mon 1 Oct 12

I don't think anything local has influenced this decision. Money is tight out there and if you look at Marriots Walk there is plenty of competition. Add to that the raft of eateries that have opened in Witney in recent years. It is clear to see that margins are squeezed everywhere. No point in opening something if there is no margin for profit overall. Saturation point is near or has arrived, perhaps another clothes/sportswear retailer will be found, does it have to be a restaurant ? About time we had somewhere that sells jeans and casual wear at an affordable price.

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yentiw says...
2:42pm Mon 8 Oct 12

Regardless of Pizza Express pulling out, which is probably to do with change of landlord or is it just a new change in name of landlord? I don't care.

What I do think is that Starbucks never had any intention of opening, they never even fitted the place out. They eventually said months ago what I suspected, and voiced in these columns, that they would not open.

The Gazette says Starbucks 'negotiated' out of their lease. What does that mean?

Nonetheless, since they decided 'not' to open, the landlord or council or whoever, has been naive enough to allow the Starbucks giant advertising hoardings to stay in place, giving them in effect very expensive advertising totally for free as we reach the 3rd anniversary of Marriotts opening!

I cannot imagine for one moment Starbucks are paying for the advertising, so if they are not, then please remove them or cover them up!

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