Whitbread has confirmed the closure of all 106 remaining Beefeater pub-restaurants across the UK as part of a new five-year business strategy. The move affects four venues in the Liverpool City Region.
Staff and Customer Impact
Although Whitbread expects to retain the majority of employees by redeploying them elsewhere in the business, around 12% of staff at the affected locations will lose their jobs. The company has also informed reward club members that all UK Beefeater branches are scheduled to close on September 10.
Financial Strategy
As part of the restructuring, Whitbread plans to sell approximately £1.5 billion worth of freehold properties, reducing the proportion of owned properties in its portfolio from 50% to 30%.
Local Venues
Four venues in the Liverpool City Region are among those set to close: Ocean Plaza Brewers Fayre in Southport, The Packet Steamer Beefeater in Bootle, Preston Brook Beefeater in Runcorn, and The Stag & Rainbow on Queens Drive.
Reasons for Closure
Whitbread said the decision was driven by rising operating costs, with chief executive Dominic Paul citing increases in business rates and employer National Insurance contributions as key factors. He argued that these financial pressures have made the traditional pub-restaurant model "unsustainable" and confirmed the company will now focus its investment on expanding its Premier Inn hotel business.
Restructuring Programme
The closures form part of a wider £250 million restructuring programme that will create around 600 new Premier Inn rooms by converting former restaurant sites. Many of the existing Beefeater locations will be transformed into smaller, hotel-only kitchens serving Premier Inn guests, replacing public restaurants with an integrated food and beverage offering designed to support hotel expansion and improve profitability.
