The Old Nelson Brewers Fayre, in Stroud is set to close.
Premier Inn owner Whitbread has revealed plans to shut 200 restaurants across the country, including Stroud’s Brewers Fayre at the Grade II listed Old Nelson in Stratford Road.
The Old Nelson was formally Stratford Lodge which was built in the early 19th century for a Spanish lord, with bricks were brought over from Spain specially to construct the building. It has been a monastery, it was the last home of Walter Stanton MP, and later an independent day school for boys and girls called Nelson School, named after the headmaster. This closed in the 1990s.
The cuts, to be made across the UK and Ireland, are part of Whitbread’s new five-year strategy, which will see the firm aim to achieve cost savings of a quarter of a billion pounds while overhauling its restaurants.
While the company said it would retain the vast majority of its 30,000-strong workforce, the cuts will result in roughly 12% of employees being laid off across the closed locations.
The wave of closures will mean Beefeater restaurants will cease operations after more than 50 years in business, with Brewers Fayre having been set to celebrate the same milestone in 2029.
Whitbread blamed Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ budget for the closures, with chief executive Dominic Paul saying the move was necessary “in light of significant cost increases in the form of business rates and National Insurance”.
Mr Paul said: “We plan to convert all our remaining branded restaurants to an integrated food and beverage offer that is preferred by our hotel guests and will unlock the addition of more highly profitable extension rooms.
“Our continued efforts to drive our commercial plan and efficiencies will extend our market-leading position and allow us to take share from our competitors, many of which are struggling to grow.”
