Whitbread

Whitbread PLC is a British company, the several well-known hotels, restaurants and health and fitness clubs, especially in the UK and Ireland belong. These include and included Pizza Hut restaurants, Maredo, Premier Inn and Marriott hotels. Whitbread is based in Dunstable in Bedfordshire and the British FTSE 250 index of listed companies (indicator WTB ).

History

The company was founded by Samuel Whitbread ( born August 20, 1720 † June 11, 1796 ) founded, to develop a partnership with Thomas Shewell began in 1742 and invested in two small breweries in the Shewells. Whitbread expanded the company over the years consistently, and in 1765 he paid his share of Shewell. In the late 18th century Whitbread became the largest British brewery.

In 1889, the family opened as Whitbread and Company PLC for investors. 1955 to 1971, the company acquired a total of 27 regional breweries. 1968 Whitbread was granted a license to brew Heineken Lager. 1974 Restaurant ( Beefeater, dt " beef eaters" ) was opened; In the following decades, the company extended its commitment in restaurants and hotels resistant, and it was followed by, among others, Pizza Hut Restaurants ( 1982) Premier Travel Inn (1987) and Marriott hotel ( 1995) and the cafe chain Costa Coffee (1995).

Gradually, the company pulled out of the alcohol business back: 1989 it sold the wine and spirits sector to Allied - Lyons, 2000, the Whitbread Beer Company to Interbrew SA and 2001 the pubs area to Morgan Grenfell Private Equity. A result, the company now no more breweries.

Whitbread as a sponsor

1971 Whitbread sponsor of the newly-launched Whitbread Book Awards, a prestigious literary prize for writers who have lived at least three years in the UK or Ireland. Every year three, later five books were first awarded; including a book was selected for the Whitbread book of the year ( Whitbread Book of the Year ). In December 2005, Whitbread ended his engagement for the price; He has since been sponsored by the cafe chain Costa Coffee, a subsidiary of Whitbread, under the new name COSTA Book Award.

The first race, the course took the participating sailing crews once around the world - in 1972, the company sponsoring the newly established sailing regatta Whitbread Round the World Race (often just a Whitbread ) was. It is still regarded as one of the toughest and most famous regattas at all. Whitbread was replaced in 1998 as a sponsor of Volvo, whereupon the regatta in Volvo Ocean Race has been renamed.