A HIGHLY rated restaurant in Bristol is set to close this summer just five years after opening.
restaurant, Dough Heads, made the announcement on and their website that they would have their last trading day on Friday June 6.
The popular pizzeria had been sharing the site of manufacturer Espensen Spirit since it opened five years ago, but the landlords have made the decision to sell it.
Founder Jen Sankey said in her message about the closure that Dough Heads would not be finding a new site: “As is the case with many small businesses at the moment, rising costs and an uncertain financial future for the hospitality industry have applied many pressures over the years.
“We're proud to have survived the lockdowns and the difficult years afterwards and we truly have our customers and incredible staff to thank for this.”
She added: “The future is uncertain, but we're excited for what's ahead, and we hope to see lots of you coming in to eat Dough Heads before we shut our doors in June.”
The announcement sparked much devastation from the local community on social media who shared their sadness and with the pizzeria's staff, with many commenting how “gutted” they were.
One Instagram user wrote: “So sad to hear you're closing.
“Such a loss for the neighbourhood. All the best with the next chapter.”
Another wrote: “This is tragic. The best pizza in Bristol.”
As a “dough obsessive”, Jen founded Dough Heads in 2021 after working for some of Bristol's top street-food traders including Tsukemono, Murray Mays and The Little Taquero, as well as hotels and restaurants around the world.
Her pizzas, which contain dough made over four days and a minimum fermentation period of 72 hours, have been rated 4.9 stars on Google with over 150 reviews.
Closure of Dough Head comes amid a time for independent businesses, where , pubs, and cafes have been forced to shut down.
This has often been associated with the rising cost of living and subsequent decline in dining out.
Even well-known pizza chains have been faced with closures, like which confirmed that 43 of its restaurants would shut down in the coming months.
More closures could be on the horizon due to upcoming hikes in employer and the national minimum wage.
