Merseyside restaurants among hundreds set to close in major hospitality shake up

The Packet Steamer Beefeater in #Bootle

Hundreds of restaurant sites across the UK are set to close as part of a major overhaul by hospitality giant Whitbread, with several well known venues in Merseyside confirmed to be affected.

The company, which operates Premier Inn along with restaurant brands Beefeater and Brewers Fayre, has announced plans to exit its remaining standalone restaurant business entirely as part of a new five year strategy.

In total, around 195 restaurants across the UK and Ireland will close, with the process being carried out in phases and many sites expected to shut over the summer months.

Four locations across the Liverpool City Region have been named among those affected. These are

Ocean Plaza Brewers Fayre in #Southport,

The Packet Steamer Beefeater in #Bootle,

Preston Brook Beefeater in Runcorn and

Stag and Rainbow on Queens Drive.

Ocean Plaza Brewers Fayre in #Southport

All four have long served local communities and visitors, making the closures a significant change to the local hospitality landscape.

The decision forms part of a wider plan to transform the business into what it describes as a hotel focused model. Many of the restaurant sites will be converted into additional hotel accommodation, with around 600 new rooms expected to be created. Other sites may be sold on as going concerns.

The move builds on earlier changes introduced in recent years, where more than 200 restaurant locations were already converted and a new format introduced that combines hotel stays with integrated dining within the same building. The company says this approach has proved popular with guests and will now be rolled out more widely.

While the company has stated that it expects to retain a significant number of employees, the scale of the changes means job losses are inevitable. Around 3,800 roles are expected to be cut, representing roughly 12 percent of staff working across affected sites. Efforts are expected to focus on redeploying workers into other parts of the business where possible.

Consultation processes are now underway, with staff at impacted locations being informed and supported as decisions progress. Further updates are expected as the phased closures continue.

The announcement marks one of the most significant changes to the casual dining sector in recent years, with the loss of familiar brands from high streets and retail parks across the country.