A Beefeater restaurant in County Durham is among 50 former Whitbread sites confirmed to reopen after being sold to new operators. The venues, which closed last month, will be rebranded following the acquisition of 110 former Whitbread locations by hospitality firms Queensway Inn and Common Table Group.
Rebranding after mass closures
Whitbread, which also owns Premier Inn, shut more than 261 sites in September, resulting in approximately 3,800 job losses. Queensway Inns rescued 53 restaurants, pubs and inns from permanent closure, while the newly formed Common Table Group plans to take on 53 Beefeater, Brewers Fayre and Cookhouse-branded sites, including one Premier Inn hotel.
The Common Table Group confirmed that all venues would open their doors as soon as possible, with the first expected in mid-November, reports WalesOnline. It is believed that more than 700 jobs will be created across the sites.
Leadership and investment
Thomas Anderson, the founder of Rodeo Doughnuts, will head up Common Table Group and invest in refurbishing the venues, developing staff and creating new menus, according to The Caterer. Mr 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. We're excited about what we can create together and look forward to bringing new energy and ideas to our guests."
Confirmed list of reopening sites
The Sun has confirmed a list of all the venues scheduled to reopen, including Broomside Park — Beefeater (Durham). Other sites include:
- 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)
- 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 first venues are expected to reopen in mid-November, with more than 700 jobs anticipated across the sites.
