Future of Burger King in Fareham looks uncertain as source says store will never reopen

The fast food company closed its town centre store, which is on the corner of Fareham Shopping Centre in West Street, in March due to the nationwide lockdown and has remained closed even after restrictions were lifted across the country.

The shop’s lights are off, with the chairs stacked on tables, with no visible sign of staff presence for the past 18 months.

Fixtures and fittings, plus the chain’s signs and posters, are still on display.

Plus the company is still advertising on street furniture in the town – even outside the nearby McDonald’s.

However the store has been removed from the official Burger King website and a source has told The News that the future of the store looks uncertain, despite the company claiming that it would be reopening earlier this year.

They said: ‘They are not coming back and the shopping centre is close to bringing a much more exciting burger operation to Fareham.’

A spokeswoman for Burger King would not confirm the closure – or give a reopening date.

She said: ‘Burger King won't be commenting at this time.’

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Burger King, dubbed ‘home of the Whopper’, hired consultancy firm AlixPartners to restructure the business in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

However the restructure has also seen at least 30 new drive-through sites open across the country.

The chain has 530 UK branches, with restaurants in Commercial Road and Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth, as well as Park Road in Havant, which have all reopened.