Only a month remains until Brewers Fayre – a pub-restaurant business in operation since 1981 – is closed by owner Whitbread, with doors set to be shut across the country on September 7.

With 89 branches around the UK – including in Bicester – the family-friendly brand was well-known for its Sunday Carvery menu.

Earlier this year, it was announced that it and Beefeaters would be closing as Whitbread restructures its wider business.

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Beefeater will shut down all of its sites on September 10, including the branch at the Oxford South Milton Interchange.

The Applecart Beefeater at the Oxford South Milton Interchange (Image: Christie Owen & Davies Ltd)

Some of the properties housing the restaurants have been put up for sale while others will be incorporated into Travelodge branches, with 3,800 jobs being lost in the process, although Whitbread has said it will try to retain as many staff as possible.

Across the country, some Beefeater and Brewers Fayre eateries have already been switched over to Whitbread’s own in-house Thyme brand.

Others are being sold and closed with the cuts set to impact about 12 per cent of the company’s 30,000-strong workforce in the UK and Ireland working in its Beefeater and Brewers Fayre restaurants.

A statement was issued on the restructuring earlier this year in which it was announced a number of the restaurants would be converted into additional Premier Inn rooms.

A spokesperson said: “We recognise the impact of this proposal on colleagues who work at the affected sites.

Brewers Fayre in Bicester (Image: Christie Owen & Davies Ltd)

“As a business which recruits around 15,000 people every year, we expect to be able to retain a significant proportion of those affected and will be looking to redeploy as many of our impacted colleagues as possible.

“However, we do anticipate that the proposed changes, which are subject to consultation, would result in a reduction of around 3,800 roles of a total UK and Ireland workforce of around 30,000.

Interior of Bicester Brewers Fayre (Image: Christie Owen & Davies Ltd)

“We will do all we can to support those colleagues affected.”

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In addition, Beefeater has also provided clarity on its loyalty scheme, publishing a deadline on its website.

A spokesperson said: “All points must be collected (or receipt details added) by Monday 24 August 2026 and then converted into your points-based vouchers and used by Monday 31 August 2026.”

With a loyalty card, customers could collect 5 points for every £1 spent and once 500 points have been earned, they would be able to claim either a £5 voucher, a free bottle of wine or 2 free starters or desserts.

Oxford Small Pet Boarding was funded by Megan Timms in 2020, after spotting a gap in the market for specialist boarding facilities dedicated to small pets.

Over the past six years, she’s built a successful business caring for beloved pets like rabbits and guinea pigs, mice, rats, birds, ferrets and tortoises.

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Oxford Small Pet Boarding, a business based on the outskirts of the city, is up for sale (Image: Oxford Small Pet Boarding)

Now, however, Ms Timms is offering the established business up for sale to a new owner, and has put up a listing seeking another ‘passionate animal lover’ to take on the owner-operated, home boarding business.

“The decision to sell has not been an easy one and is not due to a lack of demand,” the founder explained.

“The business is currently based at a premises that can no longer accommodate the boarding facility because of changes to the landowner’s own business requirements.

“Rather than close the business altogether, I would love to see someone else take over and continue what has been built over the past six years.”

She was inspired to create the pet boarding business after working as a pet sitter, travelling between client’s homes to spend limited time caring for and interacting with their pets.

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The owner said she would love to see another animal lover take on the business (Image: Oxford Small Pet Boarding)

However, she felt small animals deserved ‘far more than basic care’, and created the full-time pet boarding set up so she could provide round the clock attention to the animals.

Included in the sale is the established branding, business name, website and social media accounts, the existing customer database, operating procedures and systems, and all the equipment needed to host small pets at a new site including purpose-built cages, outdoor runs and boarding equipment.

Ms Timms added: “The sale presents an exciting opportunity for someone who loves animals and is looking to run their own business.

“The business would suit anyone with a genuine love of animals, whether they’re looking for a career change, a family-run business or an opportunity to expand an existing pet-related enterprise.

“With pet ownership continuing to grow and more people travelling, demand for trusted boarding services remains strong.

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The boarding business cares for all kinds of small pets, from guinea pigs and rabbits to mice, rats, birds and tortoises (Image: Oxford Small Pet Boarding)

“I’d be delighted to see Oxford Small Pet Boarding continue under new ownership and provide the same high standard of care that customers and their pets have come to expect.”

She added that the business is not tied to any particular location, currently based in an Oxford suburb and operated from a nine-by-five metre indoor building with direct access to secure outdoor exercise runs.

The guide price for the business is £29,950 and interest can be registered through agent Goodwins Business Brokers.

Port Meadow Convenience Store, in Godstow Road, Wolvercote, was closed in 2024 after Oxford City Council officers found rats there.

The officers immediately issued a Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notice which said the shop “poses an imminent risk of injury to health” as “there is evidence of a serious rat infestation throughout the premises”.

But now, Wolvercote residents have said they have already noticed a vast difference in the shop sayings its great the new owners are “cleaning up and getting rid of the old stock”, and calling the only shop in the area a “great opportunity”.

The new owners took over the shop earlier this week and plan a complete revamp of the premises.

Rajmeet Singh, the new owner of the shop, said: “We wanted to introduce ourselves properly as the new owners of the shop.

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“We are excited to start making improvements for our local community.

“We know there may have been things in the past that could have been better, and we want you to know we are listening.

“We have already started making changes, including improving cleanliness, removing old and expired stock, and bringing in new products and new ideas.”

The new owner said they have lots of plans to improve the shop and will work hard to make it better everyone.

Reviews of the convenience store under the previous owners note that “many items are past their sell by date”, “fridges are left open and temperature is not maintained to keep food fresh”, and “they make up their own prices”.

Other reviews also called the place a “disgrace”.