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‘Shocking’ cry punters as family favourite restaurant chain with 800 sites closes ‘great’ venue ahead of mass closures
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FANS of a family favourite restaurant chain have been left shocked after a venue abruptly shut its doors for good.
Whitbread has around 840 sites across the UK and owns brands including Premier Inn, Beefeater and Brewers Fayre.
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Last week, it revealed plans to close more than 200 of its branded locations and axe 1,500 jobs in favour of building more hotel rooms.
The chain has now revealed it closed the Premier Inn and Beefeater in Godalming, Surrey at the end of last week.
Whitbread told The Sun the decision to close the site was made before last week's annoucement.
Locals have taken to social media to share their sadness over the decision to close the venue.
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One Facebook user said: "Sad to learn yesterday evening that the Premier Inn and Beefeater on Meadrow is closing next week - I and a few friends of mine used to get together for a midweek drink there quite regularly."
Another reacted, writing: "The staff there are all great."
A third added: "We couldn't fault the service they gave us."
And a fourth cried: "That's sad!"
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Last week, Whitbread said it plans to convert 112 restaurants into hotel extensions while closing 126 "loss-making" venues.
It hopes the sales will be completed within the next two years and the restaurants will remain open as usual until they are sold.
Some of the most unique Wetherspoons pubs in the UK
If a site is losing a branded restaurant, a new integrated restaurant will be made within the hotel.
The move will leave Whitbread with 387 restaurants that are part of its hotels and 196 branded restaurants.
The hospitality chain said it has already agreed to sell 21 of these restaurants for £28million.
However, it's unclear exactly which pubs and restaurants are earmarked for closure and where they are located.
The group said the job cuts are still subject to consultation and come from its total UK workforce of 37,000 employees.
It followed reports that Whitbread was looking to speed up plans to sell hundreds of its pubs and restaurants.
The chain was said to have marked at least 250 of its 440 pubs and restaurants for sale, most of which are located close to Premier Inn hotels.
Earlier this year, The Sun revealed that over 7,000 pubs are expected to go bust in the next year.
Rising costs and fewer punters through the door has meant that four out of five pubs have seen their profits take a nosedive.
What is happening to the hospitality industry?
Many Food and drink chains have been struggling in recently as the cost of living has led to fewer people spending on eating out.
Businesses had been struggling to bounce back after the pandemic, only to be hit with soaring energy bills and inflation.
Multiple chains have been affected, resulting in big-name brands like Wetherspoons and Frankie & Benny's closing branches.
Wetherspoons has confirmed that 18 pubs have been sold, or surrendered to the landlord so far this year.
Meanwhile, locals could lose as many as 17 Wetherspoons drinking spots, which remain up for sale or under offer.
Some chains have not survived, Byron Burger fell into administration last year, with owners saying it would result in the loss of over 200 jobs.
Pizza giant, Papa Johns is shutting down 43 of its stores soon.
Tasty, the owner of Wildwood, said it will shut sites as part of major restructuring plans.
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The brand plans to close 20 loss-making restaurants after a “challenging” start to the year.
Stonegate, has raised fears about its survival as it races to plug its debts.
RETAILERS have been feeling the squeeze since the pandemic, while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to the soaring cost of living crisis.
High energy costs and a move to shopping online are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going.
Here's a list of all the big-name brands closing stores this year:
- Argos - The brand announced plans to close 100 standalone UK branches last year as it looks to move away from the high street and focus on expanding its presence in supermarkets.
- Boots - The health and beauty chain announced that it would be closing 300 stores last July. Closures are ongoing and this will see the retailer's estate reduced from 2,200 to 1,900 shops.
- Clintons - Clintons mulled plans to close 38 shops in a bid to avoid insolvency late last
- Costa Coffee - The caffeine giant has around 2,000 sites nationwide, so chances are you'll have one near you. The chain has shut the doors to dozens of its sites recently. We've revealed which stores are due to close this year.
- Iceland - The supermarket has more than 900 stores but closed nearly two dozen sites in 2023, and more selected shops are due to shut.
- Lidl - The supermarket, which has 950 stores, is changing up shop locations, which has meant that some stores have to close. But the retailer is also looking to open 12 new supermarkets.
- M&S - M&S, which runs 405 stores across the country, has been closing a string of branches across the country in a blow for shoppers. It's not all bad news, though, because the chain also has big plans to open dozens of new shops as well.
- Trespass - The firm announced in July last year that it was closing six branches, but more are on the way.
- WHSmith - The retail giant, which runs over 1,100 stores, has shuttered eight stores since March 2023, but more are coming.
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