Whitbread to Eliminate 3,800 UK and Ireland Jobs, Overhaul 197 Hotel Restaurants
Whitbread, based in Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire, confirmed 3,800 job losses within its UK and Ireland workforce as part of a strategic overhaul. The programme targets GBP#250 million in savings over five years and a GBP#1 billion reduction in its capital building budget.
A significant aspect of the plan involves replacing existing restaurants at 197 hotels with an “integrated food and drink model”. The company states this new approach will enhance efficiency and better cater to guest preferences.
Chief Executive Dominic Paul cited increased operating costs, specifically business rates and national insurance contributions, as drivers for the necessary changes within the UK’s largest hotel chain. Mr Paul stated, “We’ve looked hard at the options open to us to maximise value creation over the medium and long-term. This has been a rigorous process and we’ve approached all options with an open mind. Our new five-year plan builds on our strengths and drives a significant acceleration of our strategy.”
Whitbread, which employs 30,000 individuals, indicated that the proposed changes are subject to a staff consultation process. The company anticipates retaining a substantial number of affected employees through redeployment. This follows 88 redundancies last year due to a call centre relocation to Egypt and 1,500 job cuts in 2024.
