Papa John’s, which aims to reach over 200 UK outlets by the end of this year, has announced the opening of five new UK stores in the past two months. The company has just opened franchises in Enfield, Broxbourne, Leamington Spa, Guildford and Manchester, taking the number of its pizza outlets across the nation to 188.

Gerry Hughes, who also owns several retail franchises in other industries, and his sister Wenna Spence, who runs an interior plant company, have just opened Manchester’s Fallowfield store. Gerry said: “We were looking for a new franchise that offered room for growth. We researched the pizza store market thoroughly and Papa John’s stood out with a superior product, store locations and overall franchise opportunity. We are keen to open a second Papa John’s outlet in the next few months to capitalise on this exciting, growing market.”

The other four franchisees to join the network are: Luigi Forgione in Broxbourne; Jack Morgan, Guildford; Manj Bath, Leamington Spa; and Raheel Choudhary in Enfield. 

Dave Galvin, UK franchise sales manager for Papa John’s, said: “As we expand, we are seeing increased interest from potential franchisees who recognise the lucrative business opportunity owning a Papa John’s pizza outlet represents.

"The Papa John’s concept of only using the highest quality ingredients and 100% fresh dough to create a top quality pizza with a better natural flavour is particularly popular. Combine this with a strong brand and the back-up of an established and professional support team and the franchises provide a real chance to create a thriving business with the potential to expand exponentially through the ownership of multiple outlets.”