Rusty Cutter closure: Why the loss of beloved Beefeater is a blow to our community - and inexplicable to many

That has been the question that many people have been asking this week after owner of the Rusty Cutter, Whitbread, contacted customers to confirm the news we knew was coming - this Beefeater restaurant will be closing to the public on July 5.

It comes as part of Whitbread’s plans to prioritise its Premier Inn business over its Beefeaters and Brewers Fayres. This sees it selling off its less profitable sites and maximising its profits at others by enlarging and expanding its budget hotel room offerings.

It will still be available to its Premier Inn customers - after all, many travellers will still want to at least have the option of breakfast in the mornings. But choosing the Rusty Cutter to close to the public has been a head scratcher for many - not least because it is always busy in an area not especially overflowing with alternative choices!

Its ‘all you can eat’ breakfast menu - with kids eat free - has been a winning combination for years with locals heading over there on a regular basis to enjoy a family get together. Many children, mine included, love the fact they can help themselves and try new things - while being permanently camped by the toaster was pretty much my son’s favourite past time!

But it was not just their breakfasts which appealed to locals - it was the family-friendly menu which can keep everyone happy, while not breaking the bank, making it a great option for an after school meal out or a weekend treat.

Of course its owners have directed its customers to other nearby sites it owns - the Red Lion in Horndean being one (despite Whitbread trying to tell us it is in Portsmouth in their official communications to customers!). But this Table Table site has also reportedly been put on the market, so that may change hands at some point soon. The other suggested option was the Harbour Lights in North Harbour which is, for now at least, also a Beefeater.

Which brings us back to the Rusty Cutter - and what next? If a busy restaurant is not making ‘enough’ money then can another competitor such as, for instance, the Green King-owned Hungry Horse come in and take it over? Or will Whitbread be looking to replace the restaurant with more hotel rooms and a smaller food offering for its customers?

Rumours of both options are constantly circling - and with Whitbread keeping its lips firmly sealed and providing no comment, the vacuum of official information will continue to be filled with conjecture.

So all we can do is wait for news, send anxious staff our best wishes, lament the loss of a much-loved restaurant and find another eatery to support instead.