Premier Inn on track despite chain’s problems
PREMIER INN restructuring has not affected the hotel chain’s new Guernsey build.
In September its owner, Whitbread, projected 6,000 job cuts after restructuring.
In a quarterly trading statement, the business said it was committed to taking action to ensure their cost base was reflective of the current demand environment, this included the completion of the restructuring of their hotel and restaurant operations teams.
Around 1,500 jobs were cut overall – fewer redundancies than anticipated – as a result of a number of staff accepting a reduction in hours.
A Premier Inn spokesman confirmed the 100-bedroom hotel, with an in-house restaurant being built at Admiral Park, will go full steam ahead.
‘There’s no impact on the Guernsey Premier Inn,’ he said. ‘[Although] we haven’t committed to a fixed opening date yet, we should be in a position to guide on an opening date this summer.’
The building contractor is JW Rihoy & Son, with Comprop the developer and work is due to be completed by December.
The UK’s largest hotel and restaurant group said up until the end of November, accommodation sales were down 55% and occupancy was just over 49%.
It has continued to keep the majority of its hotels open through the coronavirus lockdown, with the help of business travel despite increased restrictions and in the five weeks to 31 December occupancy was at 31.1%.
The group scrapped its shareholder dividend and furloughed 27,000 staff, and although it continued to pay rent in full has asked landlords for help in dealing with the financial impact of the pandemic.
Advertisements have appeared in the Guernsey Press looking for staff for the hotel which it is hoped will open by the end of 2021.
