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Pizza Express acquires a site in Cheam Village, Surrey

20th May 2008, 3:46pm

Pizza Express has added a new site to its 300-strong national chain with the acquisition of El Torito restaurant at 4-6 Ewell Road, Cheam Village, Surrey, SM3, through the Epsom office of leading international restaurant agents, Christie + Co.

Located to the far west of the London Borough of Sutton, the historic and picturesque Cheam Village is a designated conservation area with its own railway station, providing links to London Victoria, Horsham, Epsom and Dorking.

Christie + Co was appointed to market El Torito on a confidential, off-market basis on behalf of its owner, a private operator with a number of restaurants in the region, who is now seeking to focus on other business interests.

El Torito has traded for a number of years as an immensely popular venue offering high quality Mexican, American and Italian cuisine and also featuring live music events, especially jazz nights. The restaurant occupies the ground floor of a midterrace property and has approximately 100 covers.

Steve Darbon, Director of Christie + Co's Epsom office, who negotiated the sale,

comments: "We were delighted to act on behalf of the owner of El Torito in the sale of this well known restaurant in sought after Cheam Village. These premises are an ideal addition to the national estate of Pizza Express and we look forward to assisting them once again in the acquisition of further units."

Pizza Express was established in London's Soho in 1965 and now has over 300

restaurants across the UK, each with its own identity, character and ambience.

Its established sites within three miles of Cheam are in nearby Sutton, Worcester

Park, Banstead and Epsom. Pizza Express is operated by Gondola Group, a leading UK casual dining group, which also operates ASK, Zizzi and a number of smaller brands.

The leasehold interest in El Torito was sold for an undisclosed figure.

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