Let’s be honest—covid did a number on sit-down dining. People got used to ordering Uber Eats while wearing their pyjamas. When lockdowns lifted, those standalone restaurants struggled to get bums back on seats. Premier Inn realised they could just outsource the problem: let the local Nando’s or Frankie & Benny’s handle dinner, while they focus on selling you a bed.
Beefeater and Brewers Fayre Restaurants to Close Across the UK | Business
Think of it as a hotel that says, “We’ll give you a good night’s sleep, but you’re on your own for chips.” It’s a bit like a friend who invites you over for a party but makes you bring your own pizza. Joke: I’m starting to suspect the next step is a Premier Inn receptionist handing you a GPS tracker and saying, “The nearest chippy is 0.7 miles north-west. Best of luck.”
What Does This Mean for the Average Traveller?
Honestly, not much if you’re staying at a central city hotel. Those Thyme restaurants are still there, serving their “made to order” eggs and that mysterious sausage that tastes vaguely of sage and mathematics. But if you were planning a romantic dinner at a Premier Inn’s Carvery—well, you might need to recalibrate your definition of romance.
The bigger shift is that more hotels are partnering with local chains or offering simplified “grab and go” breakfasts. It’s leaner, meaner, and less likely to involve a sticky tablecloth. Surprising fact: In 2026, Whitbread invested £80 million in upgrading their hotel rooms and building new ones—they’re spending more on pillows than on pepper mills.
The Premier Inn on Putney Bridge is closing in June - Putney.news
