More than 100 former Beefeater and Brewers Fayre restaurants are set to reopen across the UK after being bought by two hospitality groups.
A combined total of 110 former Whitbread-owned sites have been purchased by Queensway Inns and Common Table Group, according to reports. The locations had closed as part of a company overhaul by Whitbread, which owns Premier Inn.
Rebranding and new roles
Queensway Inns said the 53 sites it saved from permanent closure will be transformed into a new line of "value pubs," with more than 900 employees potentially put into new roles. Common Table Group said it planned to secure 57 Beefeater, Brewers Fayre and Cookhouse-branded sites, with the deal also including a Premier Inn hotel.
The group announced that all sites would begin operating as soon as possible, with the first planned for mid-November, the Sun reports. The sites are expected to remain restaurants with diners and hotel guests able to order from an all-day food and drink menu.
Job creation and closures
More than 700 jobs will also be created from the reopenings. The news comes following Whitbread's decision to axe several chains in a bid to save costs. The company warned that Rachel Reeves' 2025 budget tax policies would cause significant financial strain. As a result, around 261 sites closed this September, and approximately 3,800 jobs were lost.
Among the confirmed sites reopening are the Ashbridge Inn in Cwmbran, Broomside Park in Durham, and the Stourbridge Town Centre Premier Inn. Other locations include the Cannon Inn in Truro, the Glastonbury Brewers Fayre, and the Widnes Brewers Fayre in Cheshire.
