Whitbread is closing all 106 of its Beefeater restaurants in the UK as the company shifts its strategy towards expanding its Premier Inn hotel business.

The closures also affect several other restaurant brands operated by the company, including Table Table, Brewers Fayre, Bar + Block and Cookhouse + Pub.

Around 3,800 jobs are expected to be affected by the closures. Whitbread plans to convert many of the former restaurant locations into additional hotel rooms as it increases its focus on the Premier Inn brand.

The company said the move reflects changing customer preferences and its decision to strengthen its hotel operations by combining accommodation with food and drink services.

Whitbread employs around 30,000 people across the UK and Ireland and has said it will try to redeploy as many affected employees as possible.

The restaurant closures mark a major change for the company as it reduces its presence in the standalone dining business and places greater emphasis on hotel growth.