PITTSBURGH - A bankruptcy judge has scheduled a hearing this afternoon to consider a proposal that would result in the closure of ten Perkins restaurant franchises including those in Canfield and New Castle.

Under an agreement reached last week between attorneys for Perkins and the operator of 27 franchises, the ten restaurants would no longer be allowed to continue operating using the Perkins name. The other eight restaurants that would close under the arrangement are in Ashtabula, Conneaut, Canton, and Brooklyn, Ohio; as well as Pennsylvania locations in Titusville, Erie West, Cranberry, and Warren (Pennsylvania)

Under the bankruptcy proposal the franchises in Niles, Greenville, Grove City, Hermitage, Warren, Boardman, and Austintown could remain in operation for now.

The proposal would give the franchise operator, 5171 Campbells Land Company, time to find someone else to take over the restaurants.

5171 Campbells filed bankruptcy earlier this month after another federal judge ordered it to stop using the Perkins name at all 27 restaurants in a breach of contract suit filed by Perkins.  That court ordered the 27 restaurants to stop using the Perkins name, signs, and advertising. However, attorneys for Perkins have said that the franchises have remained in operation identifying themselves as a Perkins restaurant.