Falkirk restaurants face uncertain future as hospitality firm Whitbread announces closures and job losses

Whitbread, which owns Cadgers Brae Brewers fayre in Polmont and the Rosebank Beefeater in Camelon, is looking to reduce the number of its restaurants to concentrate on the hotel side of the business.

Plans have been drawn up to sell 126 of its less profitable restaurants and close another 112 restaurants to convert them into new hotel rooms.

The proposed 1500 job cuts – which come from Whitbread’s 37,000 UK workforce – are now said to be subject to consultation.

A Whitbread spokesperson said: “Teams are being communicated with directly so we don’t have more specific information on sites at this stage. If there are branded restaurants that are being sold or repurposed for extensions, those hotel sites will have a new integrated restaurant built inside, so all hotels will continue to have food.”

The cuts come after Whitbread's pre-tax profit rose by 21 per cent to £452 million for the year to the end of February.

It was stated the closures will depend on where the restaurant is sited, rather than what brand it is – Beefeater or Brewers Fayre, for example.

Cadgers Brae Brewers Fayre is located near Klondyke Garden Centre, a Premier Inn and a soon-to-open Chinese Buffet restaurant.

The premises has suffered severe flooding on a number of occasions in the last few years.

The Falkirk Herald contacted the venue and was told any comments on the situation would have to come from head office – Whitbread – or the general manager, who was unavailable at this time.

The Rosebank Beefeater was in a similar position, saying any comment on the issue has to come from Whitbread.

Dominic Paul, Whitbread's chief executive, said: "Sometimes businesses do need to make difficult decisions like this. I think we're doing it for absolutely the right reasons. It's going to support a material investment in this business and this country over the next few years."

Whitbread stated it would try to find alternative opportunities for affected staff wherever possible, through new jobs created by its plans and through existing recruitment.