Bosses of a struggling Leeds pizza restaurant have revealed the devastating impact the Covid-19 lockdown has had on their business.
Lievitoo, an authentic Italian pizzeria in Leeds, has been struggling with business since the country went into lockdown in March last year,
The restaurant, located directly opposite the University of Leeds, opened in 2019 shortly before the pandemic hit the UK. However, since reopening, trade has taken a massive hit.
Unfortunately, Lievitoo was unable to operate as a takeout service during the restrictions and as a result had to close its doors for several months.
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Almost one quarter of all businesses temporarily closed or paused trading due to the coronavirus pandemic in the UK as of April 2020, according to Statista.
Many businesses have felt lucky to be able to reopen their doors due to the recent uncertainty, including Lievitoo.
Their Roman-style pizzas are freshly made with a combination of raw and organic ingredients each morning, by their two highly experienced and award-winning chefs.
With the return of students to Leeds city centre, business has remained steady. However, the impact of Covid-19 has meant the business has truly taken a hit.
All their ingredients are imported directly from Italy, which has added to the list of issues faced by the pandemic with boarder restrictions being in place; Brexit has also played a huge part in this impact.
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Nausheen, who works at Lievitoo, said: "Despite the challenges we faced due to the pandemic, including logistics such as obtaining ingredients from Italy, we faced these challenges head-on and did not once compromise on the quality of our product.
"Our value proposition has remained the same throughout and, we have been able to maintain the high quality of our products."
As restrictions return to their new normal, Lievitoo are back operating a full time pizzeria, and are hoping the power of social media can revive their lacking custom.
Lievitoo says: "Throughout the many trials and tribulations we have faced as a business, our staff have managed to keep us open, so that we can continue serving you delicious pizza every day."
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