- Whitbread will close all 106 UK Beefeater restaurants on September 10 as part of a major restructuring plan.
- The closures are part of Whitbread's new five-year growth strategy to refocus the business and reduce costs by £250 million.
- Up to 3,800 jobs are at risk nationwide as Whitbread phases out both its Beefeater and Brewers Fayre brands.
- Brewers Fayre chain will shut after dinner service on September 7 as part of Whitbread’s previously-announced move to ditch all its separately-branded restaurants.
- Whitbread has also confirmed the closure date for all its other restaurant brands, with 106 Beefeater sites set to shut on September 10.
- The decision was revealed in April as Whitbread announced plans to cut around 3,800 jobs in the UK and Ireland under a new five-year strategy.
Whitbread has announced the closure of all 106 Beefeater restaurants on September 10, affecting 3,800 jobs across the UK. This move is part of a broader restructuring strategy aimed at achieving £250 million in cost savings over the next five years.12356
The closures will also see the 89-strong Brewers Fayre chain shut down after dinner service on September 7, as Whitbread phases out its separately-branded restaurants. The company plans to convert some of the restaurant sites into additional Premier Inn rooms and sell off around £1.5 billion worth of freehold properties to fund further growth.4
A spokesman for Whitbread stated, “We will do all we can to support those colleagues affected.” The decision to close these restaurants was revealed in April, aligning with Whitbread's strategy to transform into a higher-margin, higher-returning pure-play hotel business. The closures will impact around 200 sites in total, including other brands such as Bar + Block, Table Table, and Cookhouse + Pub, which are also set to close in early September.
This restructuring reflects Whitbread's commitment to refocusing its operations and enhancing profitability in a competitive market.
“Whitbread's restructuring aims to save £250 million and transform the company into a higher-margin hotel business. The closures will also see some restaurant sites converted into additional Premier Inn rooms, with plans to sell off around £1.5 billion worth of freehold properties.”
Edp24
