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Over 3,800 jobs lost as UK restaurant chain closing all 195 sites after 52 years
Whitbread said it will redeploy many staff and may transfer about 900 workers if the sale of 53 sites to Queensway Inns is completed.
- Whitbread will close all Beefeater and Brewers Fayre restaurants, with Brewers Fayre shutting on Monday, September 7, and Beefeater following on Thursday, September 10, as part of a major corporate restructure.
- Dominic Paul, chief executive of Whitbread, launched a five-year plan to transition into a higher-margin hotel business, citing rising business rates and national insurance costs as key drivers for the strategic shift.
- The closures place around 3,800 roles at risk from a total UK and Ireland workforce of around 30,000, though Whitbread expects to "retain a significant proportion" of affected staff through redeployment.
- Queensway Inns agreed to acquire 53 of the 261 earmarked sites, potentially saving around 900 jobs, though the future of the remaining 208 locations remains uncertain.
- To fund further expansion, Whitbread will sell off around £1.5 billion in freehold properties, aiming to grow its hotel portfolio from about 86,600 rooms to 96,000 by the 2031 financial year.
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Oxford Mail+5 Reposted by 5 other sources
Chain closes almost 200 UK restaurants with close to 4,000 jobs lost
A chain has closed almost 200 restaurants in the UK, with close to 4,000 jobs lost.
·Oxford, United Kingdom
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources36
Leaning Left2Leaning Right1Center32Last UpdatedBias Distribution91% Center
Bias Distribution
- 91% of the sources are Center
91% Center
C 91%
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