Whitbread to close all 106 Beefeater restaurants, 3,800 jobs

Premier Inn owner Whitbread is exiting the branded restaurant business entirely. On 25 July 2026 the scale and timing were first reported via the PA news agency: around 3,800 jobs are at risk and all 106 Beefeater restaurants will close on Thursday 10 September 2026. Trade publication The Caterer confirmed the closure date on 27 July 2026. The strategic decision itself was taken back in April 2026 as part of a five-year plan targeting £250m in cost savings — what is new is the date, the site list and the number of jobs. Closure dates for Brewers Fayre and Bar + Block had not been confirmed at the time of recording. Whitbread cites significantly higher costs and will focus on its hotel business alone. UPDATE (27 July 2026): Whitbread confirmed the dates for the remaining brands: the 89 Brewers Fayre restaurants close after dinner service on 7 September 2026, while the Bar + Block, Table Table and Cookhouse + Pub sites close earlier, on 3 September 2026. Around 200 restaurants are affected in total. Outcome (10 September 2026): Whitbread's exit from its branded restaurant business is complete: Bar + Block, Table Table and Cookhouse + Pub closed on 3 September 2026, all 89 Brewers Fayre sites closed on 7 September 2026, and all 106 Beefeater restaurants closed for good nationwide on 10 September 2026; around 3,800 jobs across the UK and Ireland are affected. (source: https://britbrief.co.uk/business/retail/beefeater-closes-all-106-uk-sites-today-as-whitbread-exits.html)