Common Table Group takes 57 former Whitbread restaurants and plans 700 new jobs

Common Table Group and associated companies have agreed to buy 57 former Whitbread restaurant sites and one Premier Inn hotel, The Morning Advertiser reports. Terms were not disclosed.

The deal in brief - 700 new roles on top of the teams transferring across from Whitbread - First sites expected to reopen from mid-November, with the rest back trading as quickly as possible - Every site stays a restaurant, running an all-day food and drink offer for hotel guests and the local trade - Investment planned in refurbishment, menus and team development, with general manager roles among the first to be recruited

The wider picture Whitbread is leaving branded restaurants altogether and closed its remaining Beefeater, Brewers Fayre and Table Table sites in September. The estate is now being split between several buyers: Queensway Inns has a conditional deal for 53 branded sites to run as going concerns, and Mitchells & Butlers picked up a smaller package earlier this year.

Managing director Thomas Anderson says each restaurant will be run "with the spirit of an independent", with teams encouraged to shape their venue around the local community.

What it means for operators: more than 100 roadside and hotel-adjacent sites are changing hands in a matter of months, which means new competition near Premier Inns and a busy hiring market for GMs and kitchen teams this winter. Groups with sites nearby should expect sharper local pricing and a push for experienced managers.