Wiltshire's number-one-rated restaurant has announced it will close next month as its levels of trade have dropped to those not seen since the start of the pandemic.
Pizza Venti, at 140 Fisherton Street, will have its last day of trading on Sunday, December 18.
The owners, Alex and Maria Popescu, will then take a break to try and work out if it's possible to continue running the business.
This comes just one month after the family-run pizza place launched its latest community initiative 'Kindness Changes Everything'.
Alex and Maria say trade is back at "pandemic levels but with 40 per cent higher costs" as they've seen a 30-40 per cent reduction in customers over the last three months.
Alex added: "We hope it's going to be a temporary closure but the only way it will be is if we find a way to fix our cash flow and make the business more efficient.
"When we opened the business during the pandemic we knew it was going to be difficult. We also had the hope that things were going to get better."
Community and charity projects, including Kindness Changes Everything, have had to be placed on hold, but Alex continues to support the homeless.
The Autumn budget was the light at the end of the tunnel for Alex, but following the government's announcements, he feels as though his "hopes and dreams have been killed".
"When the budget was announced it felt like my hopes were gone and I don't know what else I can sacrifice to keep this running," added Alex.
Pizza Venti has seen gas prices rocket to 300-350 per cent higher than what they were this time two years ago, with electricity being roughly 200 per cent higher, yet he says he's "one of the lucky ones".
'Pushing out small family businesses'
Following the bounce-back loan from the government, which targetted small to medium-sized businesses and allowed them to borrow up to £50,000, Alex feels as though he's paying the price now.
He added: "It feels like the budget of the government is pushing corporates to a better position and pushing out small family businesses.
"The hole in the budget is being repaired by companies who carried on going."
The restaurant currently sits at the number one spot on TripAdvisor for Salisbury and Wiltshire as a whole, maintaining an average five-star rating.
Alex wanted to thank all his guests for their continued support, he said: "We wouldn't have managed to do what we've done without them.
"We're going to try to look at all our available options and we hope to reopen in January."
In a bid to increase sales, Pizza Venti is offering 20 per cent off collection orders.
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