Italian restaurant chain Carluccio's has announced the closure of its eaterie in Dublin, Ireland, following a dispute over the renegotiation of rent with the property's owner.
According to the Irish Times, a company spokesperson said that the rental agreement on the Dawson Street outlet had been made "at the near height of the property market in 2007" and should be reduced to take into consideration the effect of the downturn.
However, Carluccio's insisted ahead of its annual general meeting that the closure would not affect its financial performance, reporting an 8 per cent increase in turnover for the 17 weeks to 24 January.
Two new outlets - Wimbledon and Cardiff - are expected to open by the end of March to expand the company's portfolio to 45 UK sites, while plans to open a minimum of five new stores this year is on track.
Carluccio's is also planning to open two new sites in Dubai to add to its first Middle Eastern franchise.
