An Italian restaurant has devastated customers by announcing its imminent closure less than three years after opening. Fez in Prescot, Merseyside, confirmed on Friday that it will shut its doors forever within days, on January 18.
Located on Eccleston Street, it became a popular spot after opening in August 2023, serving up pizza and pasta dishes, as well as salads, risottos and desserts. It comes at a time when many businesses have retreated from the high street due to changing customer behaviour, coupled with sky-high business rates, increased national insurance contributions and a higher minimum wage. However, the restaurant did not confirm the reason behind the closure in its Instagram statement on Friday.
The post read: “It’s with a heavy heart that we have to share that Fez will be opening its doors to our customers for the last time on January 18th.
“It’s been an incredible journey since we opened in August of 2023 and we’re extremely grateful to the local community, from friends, families and regulars to all visiting customers who have enjoyed Fez and invested their hard earned money in to our business.”
They added that Prescot was lucky to have “one of the closest knit communities” of business owners, and it had been a pleasure to work alongside them.
The restaurant confirmed: “From tomorrow we will be open and operating as usual up until the last dish is served on Sunday 18th January. We look forward to seeing you over the next two weeks and more will be posted shortly. We’ll miss you all!”
The comments section was filled with disappointed customers, including one who responded: “Gutted, great place with fab staff. You guys will be so missed. Devastated”
A second added: “This is the saddest news, wishing all the team all the love and luck in the world with their next chapters! We will be in before you close.”
The town, which is about half an hour’s drive from Liverpool, is currently undergoing regeneration. The shopping centre is being completely revamped after Knowsley Council completed the purchase of Prescot Shopping Centre in a £1.3million deal in 2022.
The Liverpool Echo said the town has been undergoing “something of a renaissance in recent years”, with the opening of the Shakespeare North Playhouse, which represented “just one part” of the Prescot Town Centre Masterplan.
