Pizza Express ‘hibernates’ its four music branches

In yet another blow to the jazz community, Pizza Express Live today announced that it was closing its four live jazz venues until the spring of next year, with immediate effect. All planned gigs at the four branches – the famous Pizza Express Jazz Club Soho, The Pheasantry in Chelsea, Pizza Express Live in Holborn and Pizza Express Live Birmingham – have been cancelled or postponed. Among the casualties of the closures are shows by the likes of Dave O’Higgins, Matt Ridley, Scott Hamilton, Brian Simpson, Clare Teal & Jason Rebello, Liane Carroll and Fini Bearman.

The company said that despite a successful trial re-opening of the Holborn site earlier this month, it felt that it would be impossible moving forward to comply with increasingly strict anti-pandemic measures and ensure the safety of customers and artists.

“It has been a difficult decision,’ Pizza Express Live said in a statement. “Despite the trial and working hard to implement extensive safety measures, we believe these precautions could become increasingly intrusive in our small, intimate venues – particularly if national restrictions increase as Covid cases rise nationally.

“We remain devoted to supporting live music and will be sure to rearrange dates for the new year once the situation has improved. This is the last decision we wanted to reach – we know the disappointment it will bring to our valued customers and the incredibly talented artists who were scheduled to play – but safety and caution must prevail.

“We’ll be back and the shows will go on when we come out of hibernation.”