When the first branch of the rustic sourdough pizza chain Franco Manca opened in London in 2008, the capital’s trendy set rushed to taste the lighter, crispier version of the classic Italian delicacy.
And so, the UK’s romance with sourdough pizza began; similar restaurants popped up on almost every high street, offering the new, airier base topped with seasonal ingredients.
But the love affair appears to be short-lived, and on Wednesday, news broke that Franco Manca will close 16 of its 70 sites, putting 225 roles at risk.
Bosses at parent company The Fulham Shore, which also runs The Real Greek chain, said ‘disproportionately high’ UK taxes and a lack of business rates relief for restaurants are partly to blame.
The Fulham Shore owner Toridoll Holdings warned that ‘a substantial number of underperforming sites’ could face a similar fate given the ‘sluggish restaurant market’, trade publication RestaurantNews reported.
Much as it’s been a challenging climate for the hospitality industry, with rising business rates and Rachel Reeves’ national insurance hike which has pushed staff costs, that’s by no means the only issue.
TripAdvisor reviews claim Franco Manca’s ‘standards have fallen’, while another was forced to repeatedly send their food back because it was ‘watery and soggy’, indicating that customers may be falling out of love with the proliferation of sourdough pizza joints.
Franca Manca isn’t the only one; Gusto Italian, serving sourdough pizza, is shutting six of its 13 venues, and Mama Dough, previously dubbed London’s best pizza on TopJaw, is closing its Sydenham, London, site, citing ‘rising costs’.
Private equity firm Cherry Equity Partners purchased Gusto last year, resulting in the closure of six of its 13 locations.
The chain had reportedly been on the verge of collapse for weeks amid efforts to find a buyer as part of an insolvency agreement.
Following the deal, Gusto Italian restaurants in Alderley Edge, Cookridge, Edinburgh, Heswall, Leeds and Newcastle announced plans to close. The closures are set to result in approximately 190 job losses.
The chain, founded in Cheshire in 2005 by Jeremy Roberts and the late Tim Bacon as a rebrand of Est Est Est, Gusto Italian, was previously awarded Italian Restaurant of the Year at the Pizza, Pasta and Italian Food Association’s PAPA Industry Awards.
Meanwhile, Mama Dough, a neighbourhood-style pizzeria that fell into administration in 2018 before being acquired by London Dough Co, was forced to shut one of its four locations in January.
A spokesman for the venue said in a statement shared via MyLondon: ‘After much thought, we have made the difficult decision to close our Sydenham Mamma Dough.
‘We have truly loved being part of the local community and serving so many of you over the years.
‘However, rising costs mean that we can no longer afford to keep the Sydenham site open. As an independent business, these decisions are never taken lightly.
While the sector suffers, takeaways, including Papa John’s and Domino’s, are attempting to fill the void by launching more premium, restaurant-style ranges this week.
Papa John’s sourdough range hopes to bring restaurant-standard pizza to the nation with premium ingredients, the brand said.
Last year, the pizza joint recorded its strongest quarter since the pandemic, RestaurantNews reported.
Revenue rose in the UK by £600,000 and globally, sales reached £920m – a 2 per cent increase on the prior year.
Chris Phylactou, UK & Europe Managing Director at Papa John’s, said: ‘This range is all about bringing high-quality, slow-crafted sourdough to everyone – we can’t wait for the nation to try it.’
Domino’s, meanwhile, said it’s striving to offer a ‘restaurant experience at home’ with the new lighter bases and toppings, including nduja, goat’s cheese and a pesto drizzle.
The chain, which recognised a ‘challenging consumer backdrop’, reported a sales increase of 1.5 per cent for the 52 weeks to 28 December 2025, from 2024’s £1,571.5m to £1,595.6m, the Caterer reported.
Over the year, Domino’s also opened 31 new locations, but underlying earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation dropped 6.6 per cent from £143.4m to £133.9m.
