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The UK hospitality sector is bracing for a brutal wave of closures this month, with 311 sites from major chains shutting down amid soaring taxes, business rates pressure and shifting consumer habits.

High street giants are slashing outlets as they restructure operations, with some pivoting to hotels, transport hubs or rescue deals to survive.

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Whitbread is exiting 197 restaurants to focus on its Premier Inn hotel empire. Many sites will be converted into extra hotel rooms, while others are being sold as going concerns.

Key closures include the Clarence Pier in Portsmouth, Gordano Gate in Bristol, and the Waterfront in Swansea. The move aims to swap lower-margin dining for higher-return hotel space.

The pizza chain is closing 43 corporate-owned stores by mid-May, targeting sites no longer sustainable in the current economy.

Closures are concentrated in London - including Peckham, Wimbledon and Putney - and the South East, such as Eastbourne and Tunbridge Wells.

The "naturally fast food" brand is abandoning 22 traditional high street sites by the end of May as it shifts focus to transport hubs.

Leon is prioritising airports and train stations where footfall remains strong despite work-from-home trends.

Parent group The Fulham Shore is restructuring both brands. Franco Manca is closing 16 sites, including its original Brixton restaurant plus branches in Cheltenham and Glasgow.

The Real Greek is shuttering 9 sites - nearly a third of its estate - after a rescue deal by the Karali Group to protect the remaining business.

Following a pre-pack administration, TGI Fridays is completing its latest round of closures, with around 24 sites (part of a broader 35-site tranche) shutting as the chain downsizes.

The figures, compiled from company statements and reports including the Daily Express, mark a major contraction in UK casual dining.