Classic British chain to reopen more than 110 UK restaurants

First reopened venues expected to welcome customers in November

The deals follow a major round of closures by Whitbread, the company behind Brewers Fayre, Beefeater and Premier Inn. More than 261 sites shut in September, resulting in around 3,800 job losses.

Now, Queensway Inns and Common Table Group have agreed to take on a combined 110 former Whitbread locations, with plans to bring many of them back into business.

Queensway Inns has acquired 53 pubs, restaurants and inns, which will be converted into a new chain of “value pubs”. The move could also allow more than 900 staff to transfer to new roles.

Common Table Group will take over a further 53 venues previously operating under the Brewers Fayre, Beefeater and Cookhouse brands, alongside one Premier Inn hotel. 

The company hopes to reopen its sites as quickly as possible, with the first venues expected to welcome customers from mid-November. It also expects to create more than 700 jobs across the business.

New owner plans to bring closed pubs back to life

The group will be led by Thomas Anderson, the founder of Rodeo Doughnuts, who plans to invest in updating the venues, developing staff and introducing new menus, according to The Caterer.

Anderson said the immediate focus was getting the sites trading again. “Our priority is to get the sites back open and trading as soon as possible,” he said.

He added that the company wanted to build a business with a strong local identity, giving staff the freedom to shape each venue around the people who live nearby.

“We’re excited about what we can create together and look forward to bringing new energy and ideas to our guests,” Anderson said.

The change in ownership gives the former restaurants and pubs another opportunity to reopen after facing permanent closure.

All confirmed reopening locations

• Ashbridge Inn — Table Table (Cwmbran, Gwent)
• Balkerne Gate — Table Table (Colchester, Essex)
• Bideford — Brewers Fayre (Bideford, Devon)
• Bowling Green — Table Table (Clacton-on-Sea, Essex)
• Brampton Hut — Brewers Fayre (Brampton, Huntingdon)
• Brookes Oast — Brewers Fayre (Paddock Wood, Tonbridge)
• Broomside Park — Beefeater (Durham)
• Cannon Inn — Beefeater (Truro, Cornwall)
• Cotton Mill — Cookhouse + Pub (Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire)
• Craig House — Brewers Fayre (Musslebrugh, Edinbrugh)
• French Connection — Table Table (Ashford, Kent)
• Glastonbury — Brewers Fayre (Glastonbury)
• Great Yarmouth South Beach Road — Beefeater (Yarmouth)
• Great Yarmouth Restaurant — Beefeater (Yarmouth)
• Griff House — Beefeater (Nuneaton)
• Hampton Inn — Brewers Fayre (Peterbrough)
• Horse & Jockey — Table Table (Dunstable)
• Kembrey Inn — Brewers Fayre (Swindon)
• Kincardine Way — Brewers Fayre (Falkirk)
• King William IV — Brewers Fayre (Olscotes, Worksop)
• Langton Inn — Table Table (Harborough)
• Leamington Spa Town Centre — Bar + Block (Lemington Spa)
• Loggans Moor — Brewers Fayre (Hayle, Cornwall)
• Mains of Balquharn — Brewers Fayre (Portlethen)
• Mill of Mundurno — Table Table (Bridge of Don, Aberdeen)
• Monkey Puzzle — Brewers Fayre (Farnbrough)
• Moor Mill — Beefeater (Radlett)
• Morris Dancers — Beefeater (Scarisbrick, Ormskirk)
• Ocean Park — Brewers Fayre (Cardiff)
• Old Nelson — Brewers Fayre (Stroud)
• Oyster Reach — Beefeater (Ipswitch)
• Pantruthyn Farm — Table Table (Bridgend)
• Preston Brook — Beefeater (Runcorn)
• Smugglers Retreat — Table Table (Ramsgate)
• Swallow — Brewers Fayre (Ipswitch)
• The Colliers — Table Table (Rugeley, Staffordshire)
• The Freeman — Cookhouse + Pub (Bridlington)
• The Howgate — Brewers Fayre (Whitehaven)
• The Plough, Dover — Beefeater (Dover)
• Three Fish — Beefeater (Newport)
• Trevithick Inn — Table Table (Camborne)
• Twelve Bells — Beefeater (Gloucester)
• White Hart, Guestling — Beefeater (Hastings)
• Whiteley — Bar + Block (Farnham)
• Widnes — Brewers Fayre (Cheshire)
• The Longford Inn – Beefeater (Cannock)
• The May Tree – Whitbread (Helston)
• The Bridgewater Arms – Whitbread (Halmer End)
• Liskeard Tavern – Whitbread Inn (Liskeard)
• Stourbridge Town Centre – Premier Inn (Stourbridge)