Six Kent restaurants owned by the same company will shut, bosses have confirmed.

The Long Reach Beefeater in Whitstable will close on July 5, along with Brewers Fayre branches in Margate, Bexleyheath and West Malling.

Meanwhile, the Manor Farm Beefeater in Rainham High Street is on the market for sale but is still currently open and trading.

The venues are all owned by Whitbread, which is also the owner of Premier Inn.

Earlier this year the hospitality business confirmed plans to convert 112 of its low-performing restaurants into hotel facilities and to sell 126 of its branded restaurants.

The company said these 112 venues generated a loss of £19 million before tax in the last financial year.

A Whitbread spokesperson yesterday told KentOnline: “After many years serving the community we can confirm the Long Reach is closing its doors on July 5.

“We'd like to take this opportunity to thank the local community for their support over the years and our amazing team members.”

They also confirmed the Margate Promenade Brewers Fayre, Bexleyheath Brewers Fayre and Castle Lake Brewers Fayre in West Malling will also be closing after July 4.

An email sent to some customers of the Long Reach, seen by KentOnline, says: “We are writing to let you know that we’ve announced plans to make changes at some of our restaurants, and unfortunately Long Reach Beefeater in Whitstable will be changing to a Premier Inn restaurant and will only service those staying in the hotel after July 5.

“We apologise for any inconvenience this will cause.”

Other locations which are not taking bookings beyond July 4 include Table Table in Broomfield, Herne Bay, and The Woodlands Beefeater in Gravesend.

Today, Whitbread confirmed that these restaurants will only be for Premier Inn guests from July 5.

At the end of April, the company announced it is to axe about 1,500 jobs across the UK amid plans to slash its chain of branded restaurants by more than 200 in favour of building more hotel rooms.

Whitbread said the job cuts come from its total UK workforce of 37,000 employees.

It said the move is part of a plan to “optimise” its food and drink offering, to add more than 3,500 hotel rooms across its estate and increase “operational efficiencies”.