Pret A Manger is to permanently close 30 of its shops as a result of "significant operating losses".
The food chain said it had faced "significant operating losses" following the outbreak of COVID-19, which closed many businesses and brought months of lockdown for customers.
At least 1,000 jobs are at risk from the closures, which will take place before the end of the year.
Pret has reopened 339 out of its 410 UK shops but footfall remains down and sales were 74% lower when compared to the same point last year.
The business said its recovery in the UK was "much slower" in comparison to the other countries it trades in.
As well as closing 30 shops, the number of workers in Pret's other shops will be reduced, support teams will be restructured, and a sale process will be started for the lease of its main support office in London Victoria.
Consultation with affected employees will begin this week and Pret said no final decisions will be made until this process is finished.
A range of support is planned to help those affected to find new roles, the business added.
Chief executive Pano Christou, said: "When the coronavirus crisis hit, we said that our priority was to protect our people, our customers, and of course Pret. We confirmed it was our intention to do everything we could to save jobs.
"Although we were able to do that through the lockdown, thanks in particular to the government's vital support, we cannot defy gravity and continue with the business model we had before the pandemic. That is why we have adapted our business and found new ways to reach our customers."
He said the news marked a "sad day for the whole Pret family", adding that he was "devastated that we will be losing so many employees".
"While Pret may look and feel different in the short term, one thing I know is that we will come through this crisis and have a bright future if we take the right steps today."
More than 24,000 jobs have already been lost at high street retailers in administration in the first half of 2020, according to the Centre for Retail Research.
It also revealed that 31,628 retail jobs are still at risk of being permanently cut, with more businesses expected to permanently close some stores.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiYmh0dHBzOi8vbmV3cy5za3kuY29tL3N0b3J5L3ByZXQtYS1tYW5nZXItdG8tY2xvc2UtMzAtc2hvcHMtYWZ0ZXItc2V2ZXJlbHktZGVjbGluaW5nLXNhbGVzLTEyMDIyMTkz0gFmaHR0cHM6Ly9uZXdzLnNreS5jb20vc3RvcnkvYW1wL3ByZXQtYS1tYW5nZXItdG8tY2xvc2UtMzAtc2hvcHMtYWZ0ZXItc2V2ZXJlbHktZGVjbGluaW5nLXNhbGVzLTEyMDIyMTkz?oc=5
2020-07-06 09:04:21Z
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