More than 110 former Whitbread restaurant and pub locations across the UK are set to reopen after being bought by two hospitality groups, saving them from permanent closure.
The Whitbread-owned Beefeater, Brewers Fayre, and Cookhouse + Pub sites shut last month after a major overhaul by the parent company, which also owns Premier Inn. Whitbread closed more than 261 sites in September, with approximately 3,800 jobs lost.
New owners and planned reopenings
Hospitality companies Queensway Inn and Common Table group have bought a combined total of 110 former Whitbread sites. Queensway Inns saved 53 locations of restaurants, pubs and inns from permanent closure, which will be transformed into a new line of “value pubs”, with more than 900 staff potentially transferred into new roles.
The newly established Common Table group plans to acquire 53 Beefeater, Brewers Fayre and Cookhouse-branded sites, which also includes one Premier Inn hotel. The group said all sites would open their doors as soon as possible, with the first planned for mid-November. It is thought that more than 700 job roles will be created across the sites.
Leadership and investment
Thomas Anderson, the founder of Rodeo Doughnuts, will lead Common Table Group and invest in refurbishing the sites, developing people and creating new menus, according to The Caterer.
Anderson said: “Our priority is to get the sites back open and trading as soon as possible. We’re building an entrepreneurial business with a local feel, where our teams are empowered to make decisions and shape each venue around the people and communities it serves.”
He added: “We’re excited about what we can create together and look forward to bringing new energy and ideas to our guests.”
Confirmed sites reopening
The Sun confirmed the list of all the sites set to reopen, including:
- Ashbridge Inn — Table Table (Cwmbran, Gwent)
- Balkerne Gate — Table Table (Colchester, Essex)
- Bideford — Brewers Fayre (Bideford, Devon)
- Bowling Green — Table Table (Clacton-on-Sea, Essex)
- Brampton Hut — Brewers Fayre (Brampton, Huntingdon)
- Brookes Oast — Brewers Fayre (Paddock Wood, Tonbridge)
- Broomside Park — Beefeater (Durham)
- Cannon Inn — Beefeater (Truro, Cornwall)
- Cotton Mill — Cookhouse + Pub (Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire)
- Craig House — Brewers Fayre (Musselburgh, Edinburgh)
- French Connection — Table Table (Ashford, Kent)
- Glastonbury — Brewers Fayre (Glastonbury)
- Great Yarmouth South Beach Road — Beefeater (Yarmouth)
- Great Yarmouth Restaurant — Beefeater (Yarmouth)
- Griff House — Beefeater (Nuneaton)
- Hampton Inn — Brewers Fayre (Peterborough)
- Horse & Jockey — Table Table (Dunstable)
- Kembrey Inn — Brewers Fayre (Swindon)
- Kincardine Way — Brewers Fayre (Falkirk)
- King William IV — Brewers Fayre (Worksop)
- Langton Inn — Table Table (Harborough)
- Leamington Spa Town Centre — Bar + Block (Leamington Spa)
- Loggans Moor — Brewers Fayre (Hayle, Cornwall)
- Mains of Balquharn — Brewers Fayre (Portlethen)
- Mill of Mundurno — Table Table (Bridge of Don, Aberdeen)
- Monkey Puzzle — Brewers Fayre (Farnborough)
- Moor Mill — Beefeater (Radlett)
- Morris Dancers — Beefeater (Scarisbrick, Ormskirk)
- Ocean Park — Brewers Fayre (Cardiff)
- Old Nelson — Brewers Fayre (Stroud)
- Oyster Reach — Beefeater (Ipswich)
- Pantruthyn Farm — Table Table (Bridgend)
- Preston Brook — Beefeater (Runcorn)
- Smugglers Retreat — Table Table (Ramsgate)
- Swallow — Brewers Fayre (Ipswich)
- The Colliers — Table Table (Rugeley, Staffordshire)
- The Freeman — Cookhouse + Pub (Bridlington)
- The Howgate — Brewers Fayre (Whitehaven)
- The Plough, Dover — Beefeater (Dover)
- Three Fish — Beefeater (Newport)
- Trevithick Inn — Table Table (Camborne)
- Twelve Bells — Beefeater (Gloucester)
- White Hart, Guestling — Beefeater (Hastings)
- Whiteley — Bar + Block (Farnham)
- Widnes — Brewers Fayre (Cheshire)
- The Longford Inn – Beefeater (Cannock)
- The May Tree – Whitbread (Helston)
- The Bridgewater Arms – Whitbread (Halmer End)
- Liskeard Tavern – Whitbread Inn (Liskeard)
- Stourbridge Town Centre – Premier Inn (Stourbridge)
The reopenings are expected to create more than 1,600 job roles in total across the sites, with the first locations opening as early as mid-November.
