Whitbread, the parent company of Premier Inn, is proceeding with a significant restructuring that will see the closure of all its remaining Beefeater and Brewers Fayre restaurants across the UK, alongside other standalone dining establishments, including two in Aberdeenshire. This move forms part of a five-year strategy aimed at generating £250 million in cost savings and transforming the business into a more hotel-centric operation.
The comprehensive plan involves converting a number of the restaurant sites into additional Premier Inn rooms and divesting approximately £1.5 billion worth of freehold properties. The property strategy aims to reduce Whitbread’s freehold ownership from around 50% to between 30% and 40% of its portfolio.
The restructuring, initially announced in April, is expected to result in approximately 3,800 job reductions across Whitbread’s UK and Ireland workforce, which totals around 30,000 employees.
You Might Also Like:
Brewers Fayre venues in Aberdeenshire and Inverness to close permanently
Scottish Starbucks franchisee to create 120 jobs in £4m expansion across UK
Forth Valley Celebrates Successful Food, Drink and Tourism Month 2026
Edinburgh and Glasgow restaurants launch new kids’ menus in aid of local children’s hospital charities
The final closure dates for the affected restaurant brands have been confirmed for early September. Bar + Block, Cookhouse+, and Table Table outlets are scheduled to cease trading on September 3. This includes the Mill of Mundurno restaurant in Aberdeenshire. Subsequently, the 89 Brewers Fayre pubs across the UK, including Mains of Balquharn in Portlethen, will close their doors on September 7. The final wave of closures will see the 106 Beefeater sites nationwide, affecting five in Scotland, shut down on September 10.
Across Scotland, 18 venues are set to close as part of this nationwide overhaul.
Addressing the impact on its workforce, a Whitbread statement affirmed: “We recognise the impact of this proposal on colleagues who work at the affected sites. As a business which recruits around 15,000 people every year, we expect to be able to retain a significant proportion of those affected and will be looking to redeploy as many of our impacted colleagues as possible. However, we do anticipate that the proposed changes, which are subject to consultation, would result in a reduction of around 3,800 roles of a total UK and Ireland workforce of around 30,000. We will do all we can to support those colleagues affected.”
