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From the
https://theisleofthanetnews.com By Kathy Bailes, 4, August,
2026.
Smugglers Retreat at Minster to close in September.
The Smugglers Retreat at Minster will close its doors next month as part
of a corporate overhaul by owning company Whitbread.
All Table Table restaurants will permanently close for standalone
public service on September 3.
Whitbread is exiting all standalone branded restaurants to save £250
million and focus on the Premier Inn side of its business.
Branded pub-restaurants, such as "Smugglers Retreat" in Tothill
Street, are being phased out in favour of integrated, in-house food
and drink operations built directly inside Premier Inn locations
strictly for guests.
The move forms part of a five year plan by Whitbread that was
announced in April.
A statement at that time said: “Whitbread has announced (April 30)
that, as part of its proposed new Five-Year Plan, it intends to
become a pure-play hotel business focused on Premier Inn, the UK’s
number one hotel brand, which is synonymous with quality and value.
“This change will involve exiting all of our remaining branded
restaurants, which trade under brands including Beefeater and
Brewers Fayre, a number of which will be converted into
approximately 600 additional Premier Inn rooms, with the remainder
expected to be sold as going concerns.
“The proposed changes build on the success of our Accelerating
Growth Plan, announced in 2024, which involved the conversion of
over 200 branded restaurants to additional rooms, and the creation
of an integrated restaurant in each hotel.
“This format has proved highly popular with guests and under the
proposal, it would be rolled out to all hotels where there is
currently a branded restaurant.
“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.”
"Smuggler’s Retreat" is on the site of an adjoining Premier Inn and it
is likely that following the closure, Whitbread will use the space
as an unbranded breakfast and dinner venue strictly serving Inn
guests.
The alternative would be to put the site on the open market.
The restaurant is among 66 Table Table, Cookhouse + Pub, and Bar +
Block brands that will shut on September 3 followed by 89 Brewers
Fayre pub-restaurants that will close on September 7. Whitbread
plans to sell 110 sites and convert others into 600 new hotel rooms.
Whitbread has been contacted for further details. |
