Pandemic forces closures across group, which includes Beefeater and Brewers Fayre chains
Premier Inn owner Whitbread has reported a £1bn annual loss as sales fell by almost three-quarters due to Covid-19 lockdowns, but the hospitality group said it expects a summer boom in travel to coastal and mountain resorts.
As the pandemic forced the closure of venues across the group, which also includes the Beefeater and Brewers Fayre pub-restaurant chains, revenues plunged 71% to £589m in what was “one of the most challenging years” in its 279-year history according to the chief executive, Alison Brittain.
