Popular Restaurant in Hartlepool Facing Closure in Major Shake-Up..

The Old West Quay Hartlepool

Popular Hartlepool Pub & Restaurant Set to Close Under Plans by its parent Company Whitbread

4th May 2026

Hartlepool looks set to lose yet another well known family pub after Premier Inn owner Whitbread confirmed plans to close its remaining Brewers Fayre and Beefeater restaurants as part of a major national shake-up.

The Old West Quay Brewers Fayre, located on Maritime Avenue near Hartlepool’s historic quay, is now said to be among the sites caught up in the company’s wider plan to move away from its traditional branded restaurant model. The venue has long been a familiar spot for families, hotel guests and visitors to the town, offering pub meals, Sunday carveries, breakfasts together with a children’s indoor soft play area.

Whitbread has now confirmed it intends to close its remaining 197 branded restaurants across the UK and Ireland, replacing them with a more streamlined food and drink offer linked more closely to its Premier Inn hotel business. The move places around 3,800 jobs at risk nationally.

For Hartlepool, it means the potential loss of another recognisable hospitality venue at a time when the towns local economy is seeing pressure on pubs, restaurants and family dining venues.

The Old West Quay in Hartlepool was said to be a convenient place for children’s parties, soft play sessions, Sunday lunches and meals out near the towns marina and historic quay. Its location, close to attractions such as the National Museum of the Royal Navy Hartlepool, has also made it a regular stopping point for visitors coming into the town. Whitbread says the move forms part of a wider strategy to focus more on its hotel business, with the company planning to convert restaurant space into an “integrated” food and beverage offer and, in some cases, additional hotel rooms. The company has said consultation with affected employees would begin immediately and that it expects to retain a significant proportion of staff by offering alternative roles where possible.

No final closure date for the Hartlepool site has been confirmed in the information currently available, but the national announcement makes clear that the Brewers Fayre and Beefeater brands are being phased out as Whitbread reshapes itself into a more hotel-focused business.