Beefeater Colchester future still in limbo amid closure rumours

Planned job losses affecting about 1,500 staff across the country were announced in April by Whitebread, which owns the Albert Beefeater in Cowdray Avenue. 

A consultation over the cuts is still underway, which could also affect staff at the group's Premier Inn hotels. 

Customers at the Colchester restaurant were met with closed doors recently despite assurances it has not closed fully. 

Restaurant - The Albert Beefeater in Cowdray Avenue (Image: Newsquest)

Following the Gazette’s earlier reports about the rumours, a source confirmed the news. 

They said: “Your article is correct. The Albert is now only open for breakfast for Premier Inn guests only. 

“They ceased trading all restaurant and bar operations on Friday the 21st at around 9pm. The doors are locked and they are no longer catering to customers.

"It’s due to be refurbished into more hotel rooms. Most of the staff are staying on at the hotel. 

A Whitebread spokesman confirmed “the site is prioritising hotel guests at the current time and is currently unable to serve walk-ins". 

They said: “It is important to stress that consultation is not yet closed so there’s nothing further we can add at this time. 

“The restaurant is part of proposals we announced on April 30. They are still under consultation. 

Owned - The hotel chain Premier Inn and the restaurant Beefeater both belong to the Whitebread group (Image: Newsquest)

“In more general terms, we recognise that the proposed changes will be unsettling for our team members and we are providing them with dedicated support.

"We are committed to working hard to enable as many as possible of our affected team members to stay with us by either transferring into new roles or by taking up other vacancies across the business more broadly through our existing recruitment activity. 

 “I’m not able to offer any detail on possible numbers of jobs/ outcomes whilst the consultation is still live.”