Three Joes Pizzeria is the latest in a long line of Meadowhall businesses to close its doors, but are behind the scenes fines and restrictions leading to the closures?
Three Joes Meadowhall said “ever increasing costs” have made up-keeping the site “exceptionally difficult” in a statement last week ahead of the store’s closure earlier this week.
The sourdough restaurant opened in Meadowhall in November 2019, marking the first of its kind in the North of England. The company went on to acquire The Stable Pizza Group in 2020. The permanent closure of the site came just days after the announcement, the amount of redundancies remains unknown.
A manager of another Meadowhall eatery, who did not want to be named, has told ShefNews that businesses receive fines “up to £1k” if the business opens late, or does not open, without notifying Meadowhall management before hand.
As well as this, businesses are “responsible” for their own maintenance costs and must “get a permit” from Meadowhall to allow external maintenance people in to carry out “necessary work”, according to the source.
They added: “Rent costs are high and with all of the other costs, it makes it incredibly expensive to maintain a business here. I’m not surprised so many businesses are closing down.”
The Three Joes announcement comes days after big “closing down” signs went up at major Meadowhall clothing store Tessuti and follows the closure of store Lids.
A spokesperson for Meadowhall said: “Naturally, it is always disappointing when one of our retail partners chooses to close. We work in close partnership with all our retailers, restaurants and leisure providers to create the best possible environment for both them and the millions of shoppers who visit us each year. We recognise that the current financial climate is particularly challenging and have a range of initiatives designed to support our partners, including operational flexibility where possible, whilst ensuring Meadowhall remains a thriving destination that benefits both businesses and shoppers alike.”