Iconic UK chains on brink of closing all 197 restaurants – 3,800 jobs lost | UK | News
Nearly 200 restaurants will close (Image: Getty)
Two iconic restaurant chains in the UK and Ireland are to disappear in a restructuring that will result in the loss of 3,800 jobs. Premier Inn owner Whitbread will close all of its remaining 197 branded restaurant chains, including Beefeater and Brewers Fayre, and replace them with more efficient and hotel-integrated food and drink offers preferred by hotel guests.
It comes as part of a five-year strategy to cut costs and overhaul the restaurant offering. Some of the former restaurant spaces will be converted into about 600 new hotel rooms, while others are expected to be sold. Whitbread said it would aim to retain a significant proportion of staff affected by the redeployment, but around 12% of Whitbread’s 30,000-strong workforce in the UK and Ireland is expected to lose their jobs.
Read more: UK brewery to close 5 stores across UK in May – full list
Read more: Lloyds to close 37 banks in June – full list
Beefeater and Brewers Fayre restaurants were often located next to Premier Inn hotels. (Image: Getty)
Beefeater and Brewers Fayre restaurants were often located next to or inside Premier Inn hotels. Grill restaurant Beefeater has been in business since 1974; Brewers Fayre has been serving traditional British pub food since 1979.
Whitbread has struggled with rising costs after the UK’s last budget and the company has been forced to make changes to maintain profits and increase margins.
A spokesman said: “Whitbread today announced that, as part of its proposed new Five Year Plan, it plans to become a pure hotel business focused on Premier Inn, the UK’s number one hotel brand, synonymous with quality and value.
“This change will involve exiting all our remaining branded restaurants trading under brands such as Beefeater and Brewers Fayre, some of which will be converted into approximately 600 additional Premier Inn rooms, with the remainder expected to be sold as a going concern.
“The proposed changes announced today build on the success of our Accelerated Growth Plan announced in 2024, which includes converting more than 200 branded restaurants into additional rooms and creating an integrated restaurant in every hotel.
“This format has proven very popular with guests and under the proposal it will be rolled out to all hotels that currently have a branded restaurant.
“We recognize the impact this offer will have on our colleagues working in the affected areas. As a business that employs approximately 15,000 people each year, we expect to be able to retain a significant proportion of those affected and will seek to redeploy as many of our affected colleagues as possible.
“However, we estimate that the proposed changes, which are subject to consultation, will lead to a reduction in approximately 3,800 positions out of a total workforce of 30,000 in the UK and Ireland. We will do all we can to support colleagues affected.”
