Imagine you’re at a buffet and you realize the chocolate fountain is super popular, but the salad bar is just gathering dust. That’s basically what’s happening here. Whitbread has figured out that people are way more excited about booking a cheap, comfy bed at a Premier Inn than they are about sitting down for a two-hour meal at a pub.
So, they’re swapping out the booths and sticky tables for more hotel rooms. It’s a classic move: follow the money. You know that moment when you’re scrolling through hotel options, and you just want a clean room with a decent pillow? That’s the vibe they’re betting on.
Remember That Local Pub You Love?
Let’s be real: not all Whitbread pubs are created equal. There’s the one near the motorway where you stop for a desperate coffee, and then there’s the one in your town where your mate Phil always insists on ordering the mixed grill. The closures will hit the underperforming spots—the ones that feel a bit tired, like that old armchair you keep meaning to replace.
But here’s the rub: when a pub closes, it’s not just a building. It’s where you celebrated a birthday, or sat alone after a rough day, or had that awkward first date where you both ordered the same thing. Every one of those closures chips away at a little piece of our communal living room.
Whitbread plans faster Premier Inn and Costa growth - BBC News
