Whitbread to close 15 South Wales restaurants in coming days

Whitbread announced earlier this year that it planned to close all of its standalone branded restaurants in September.

The move is part of a five-year strategy to save £250 million and will result in the closure of 261 restaurants across the UK and the loss of around 3,800 jobs.

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Dominic Paul, chief executive of Whitbread, said: "We always challenge ourselves to improve and, in light of significant cost increases in the form of business rates and national insurance, as well as the implied market discount to our inherent value, we’ve looked hard at the options open to us to maximise value creation over the medium and long-term.

"This plan will transform Whitbread into a higher-margin, higher-returning pure-play hotel business."

The closures affect five Whitbread brands:

• Brewers Fayre (89 locations) - closing on September 7
• Beefeater (106) - September 10
• Bar + Block (20) - September 3
• Table Table (32) - September 3
• Cookhouse + Pub (14) - September 3

The company plans to replace the closed restaurants with new dining options inside Premier Inn hotels.

Full list of 15 Whitbread restaurants in South Wales set to close

Of the 261 Whitbread restaurants set to close over the coming days, 15 of them are located in South Wales:

Table Table (September 3)

• Ashbridge Inn (Cwmbran)
• Pantruthyn Farm (Bridgend) - rebranded with Queensway Inns
• Pentrebach House (Merthyr Tydfil)

Brewers Fayre (September 7)

• Abergavenny
• Barry Island
• Crossways (Caerphilly)
• Ocean Park (Cardiff) - rebranded with Queensway Inns
• Swansea Vale
• Tirfounder Fields (Rhondda Cynon Taff)
• Victoria Park (Gwent)

Beefeater (September 10)

• Bagle Brook (Port Talbot)
• The Coldra (Newport)
• Walston Castle (Cardiff)
• The Waterfront (Swansea)
• The Longbow (Rhondda Cynon Taff)

It appears two Whitbread sites - Pantruthyn Farm (Table Table) and the Brewers Fayre in Ocean Park (Cardiff) - have been saved by Queensway Inns.

Queensway Inns rescues 53 Whitbread sites

Of the 261 Whitbread sites earmarked for closure, 53 have been sold to Queensway Inns, who plan to relaunch them as a new chain.

A Whitbread spokesperson, speaking to Newsquest, previously said: "Whitbread has reached an agreement for the conditional sale of 53 branded restaurant sites to Queensway Inns, subject to a number of final conditions being met.

"Queensway Inns has extensive experience operating hospitality businesses across the UK and intends to operate the sites as going concerns.

"Subject to completion of the sale and following the relevant TUPE information and consultation processes, around 900 team members could transfer and will be supported through the process."

The 53 sites are reportedly a mix of all Whitbread brands earmarked for closure.

Queensway plans to rebrand and relaunch the sites as affordable pubs, but the new name, menu pricing, and reopening dates are yet to be confirmed.

Other businesses that have closed in South Wales in 2026

The business sector in South Wales has been hit by a wave of closures in 2026.

In January, The Revel Collective, owners of Revolution bars, shut 21 venues nationwide, including two in Cardiff.

Greggs closed its Monmouth branch in February after the store reached the end of its lease.

In Newport, award-winning restaurant New Ole closed in February, followed by River Island’s Friars Walk shop in April.

Marks & Spencer stores in Swansea and Newport closed on May 30 and June 20, respectively.

Cwmbran’s Harvester at St David’s closed permanently on June 18, and on June 25, Vue shut its cinema at Cardiff’s Stadium Plaza.

Fashion retailer Quiz also closed all its stores in June, including its Cardiff location.

Is there a Whitbread restaurant closing near you? Let us know in the comments below.