The announcement follows a nationwide restructuring by Whitbread that led to the closure of more than 261 restaurants and pubs, affecting several established hospitality brands. The latest takeover offers a return for selected locations, although not every former restaurant is included in the reopening programme.
Bar + Block in Whiteley Prepares To Welcome Customers Again
The Bar + Block steakhouse at Whiteley Shopping Centre closed in September as part of Whitbread’s wider restructuring programme. The decision affected several restaurant chains, including Beefeater, Brewers Fayre and Cookhouse + Pub, which also saw numerous locations shut down.
According to Daily Echo, hospitality companies Queensway Inns and Common Table Group have acquired a combined 110 former Whitbread sites. The new operators intend to reopen the venues as quickly as possible, with the first restaurants expected to begin trading again from the middle of November.
The Whiteley restaurant is among the locations scheduled to return, although an exact reopening date has not yet been announced. Another Bar + Block restaurant in Leamington Spa town centre is also reportedly expected to reopen.
The reopening plans have been welcomed by local representatives who previously expressed disappointment over the restaurant’s closure. Councillor Sudhakar Achwal, a Liberal Democrat representing Whiteley and Shedfield on Winchester City Council, welcomed the announcement.
“That’s wonderful news. I am really glad to hear Bar + Block is reopening in Whiteley,” he said. “It’s great to have more dining options in the area.“
His comments mark a change from August, when he described the planned closure as disappointing. At the time, he noted that the steakhouse had operated in Whiteley Shopping Centre for several years and had become a popular destination for local diners. Despite the planned return in Whiteley, the former Bar + Block restaurant in Portsmouth is not included among the sites expected to reopen.
Nationwide Restaurant Closures Followed by Plans for 700 Jobs
The reopening programme follows a substantial reduction in Whitbread’s restaurant operations across the United Kingdom.
According to The Sun, more than 261 sites closed in September, resulting in approximately 3,800 job losses. The closures followed Whitbread’s decision to retire several restaurant brands, including Beefeater and Brewers Fayre. Bar + Block, which first launched in the UK in 2016, was also affected. All 20 locations were shut as part of the changes.
The acquisition of 110 former Whitbread properties by Queensway Inns and Common Table Group has now created an opportunity for some of these venues to resume operations.
The new owners expect the reopening programme to create more than 700 jobs across the acquired estate. Some locations will also be rebranded as part of a new chain of pubs and other hospitality establishments.
According to the Daily Express, the operators are working towards reopening the first locations from mid-November, although individual schedules have not been confirmed. For Whiteley, the announcement means the former steakhouse is expected to return after a closure lasting only a few months. Its reopening date remains unconfirmed, while the wider programme will begin with selected former Whitbread venues in November.
