Pub chain Marston’s has said it plans to cut 2,150 jobs due to the impact of the Government’s new coronavirus restrictions across the UK.

The announcement comes just a week after fellow chain Greene King said it will shut dozens of pubs with the loss of 800 jobs after being hit by tighter restrictions in the face of the pandemic.

And the pub and bar group which owns Harvester and Toby Carvery, has also started redundancy consultations with staff as it struggles with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Mitchells & Butlers, which also owns All Bar One, said it is facing “significant difficulties” after restrictions tightened again.

There are nearly 50 Marston's owned pubs in Dorset.

They include:

  • Stourvale in Christchurch
  • Bell in Pokesdown
  • Fiveways in Charminster Road
  • Porterhouse in Westbourne
  • Kings Arms in Wallisdown Road
  • New Star Poole, Parkstone
  • Victoria Cross, Parkstone
  • Pilot, Adastral Road, Poole
  • New Inn, Wimborne Road, Poole
  • Shah of Persia, Longfleet Road in Poole
  • George Hotel, High Street, Poole
  • Butler and Hops, High Street, Poole
  • Foundry Arms, Lagland Street, Poole
  • White Hart, Cornmarket, Wimborne
  • Pure Drop, Ferndown
  • Elephant and Castle, West Moors
  • Swans, Verwood

The group said around 2,150 of its pub workers currently on furlough support will be impacted, while it will also launch a further cost-cutting plan by the end of the year.

Marston’s put the blame squarely on the recent nationwide measures to tackle the surge in coronavirus cases, which has seen curfews placed on hospitality venues and the closures of sites not serving food in high-risk areas such as Liverpool.

Ralph Findlay, chief executive of Marston’s, said: “The additional restrictions which have been applied across the UK most recently present significant challenges to us and will make business more difficult for a period of time.

“I very much regret that the consequence of this is that the jobs of around 2,150 of our colleagues will be impacted, but it is an inevitable consequence of the limitations placed upon our business.

“We will be looking at our cost base further in the coming weeks.”

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