1,500 jobs to go says Dunstable-based Premier Inn owner Whitbread

The Dunstable-based owner of Premier Inn UK, Whitbread, has today (April 30) revealed that it will axe 1,500 jobs across its workforce.

The company says it plans to cut its restaurants by more than 200, and build more hotel rooms.

Whitbread has 37,000 staff in the UK, but said it could not confirm where the cuts would be made, including whether there would be job losses at the head office in Houghton Hall Business Park, Dunstable.

However, it added that details of the job cuts would be shared with employees today.

The group, which owns Thyme, Brewers Fayre and Beefeater, plans to sell 126 of its less profitable restaurants with the sale of 21 having already been agreed.

There will be another 112 restaurants closed to be converted into new hotel rooms.

Dominic Paul, Chief Executive Officer, said: “I recognise that these changes will be unsettling for affected team members and we are committed to working hard to enable as many as possible of those affected to stay with Whitbread by either transferring into roles this plan will create, or by taking up other vacancies across the business more broadly through our existing recruitment activity that makes c.15,000 hires each year.

"Our teams are at the heart of our guest experience, and I want to thank each and every team member for their continued hard work and dedication to deliver the great quality, service and value that our guests expect from us.”

This is a developing story, and we will share more information as it becomes available.