Major pub and restaurant chain with 1,800 sites shuts branch

A MAJOR pub, bar and restaurant chain has closed one of its branches in a blow for customers.

The Harvester restaurant in Alwaton, on the outskirts of Peterborough, shut for the final time yesterday.

However, the branch will undergo a refurbishment and reopen as a Miller and Carter steakhouse in May.

Both Harvester and the Miller and Carter brands are run by Mitchells and Butlers.

It is understood the Harvester Peterborough restaurant shutting is not part of a wider round up of closures.

Meanwhile, the Miller and Carter steakhouse opening will create 20 jobs.

A spokesperson for Mitchells and Butlers said: “We have decided to convert the Harvester Alwalton to create a stunning new Miller & Carter which will open at the end of May.

“This is a significant investment. It will create around 20 new jobs, increasing the team to more than 60 people.

“The refurbishment will include structural changes and full decoration to create a stunning new Miller & Carter steakhouse.”

In any case, customers have been left devastated after finding out the Harvester restaurant has closed for good.

Posting on Facebook, one said: “Absolutely gutted.”

Another commented: “End of an era.”

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Meanwhile, a third added: “Sad to see you guys go.”

The Peterborough closure comes after another Harvester restaurant shut in York last year.

The site in Clifton Moor officially shut its doors in October after opening in 2012.

Punters flocked to Facebook to grumble about the closure including one who said it was “sad but inevitable”.

However, it’s worth bearing in mind, retailers and hospitality chains often close branches due to customer demand or trends.

It is not necessarily an indication a business is struggling financially or will go bust.

Mitchells and Butlers’s latest results reveal the operator traded strongly over the festive period with sales up on the year before.

This followed a strong trading performance for the 52 weeks to September 28, 2024, with like-for-like sales up 5.3%.

Phil Urban, chief executive, said in January: “We are delighted to have delivered another very strong festive trading period, with some excellent performances across our brand portfolio.

“Growth was particularly strong on festive key dates supported by volume growth, and with record sales on Christmas Day.

“Cold and stormy weather over recent weeks has subsequently had a material adverse impact on trading but we remain confident in the strength of underlying sales growth.”

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HOSPITALITY SECTOR STRUGGLES

The hospitality sector has struggled broadly in recent years, with hundreds of locations closing since 2022.

The licensed sector shrunk by 4.5% and 2.9% in 2022 and 2023, respectively, according to AlixPartners.

This includes pubs, bars, restaurants, cafes, nightclubs, fast food outlets and hotels.

In 2024 the consultancy firm reported there were 4,078 closures and 4,085 openings across the year, a net gain of seven.

However, it also found closures accelerated in the final quarter of last year due to mounting cost pressures and changing customer habits.

The last quarter contraction meant 748 venues were lost in the three-month period.

The financial advisory and global consulting firm said if this trend were to continue, it would represent a net loss of nearly 3,000 venues over 12 months.

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