MICKLEHEAD Green restaurant has shut its doors - after its owner set out proposals to close 112 "lower-performing" venues across the country.

Earlier this year Premier Inn owner Whitbread announced proposals to cut around 1,500 jobs across the UK amid plans to slash its chain of branded restaurants by more than 200 in favour of building more hotel rooms.

One of the site's affected by the proposals is the Micklehead Beefeater restaurant in St Helens which operates next door to Premier Inn South on Eurolink.

Speaking in April, the business would not confirm this to the Star, stating that while the company had announced proposals which could impact on the St Helens site, it is "important to note they are subject to consultation".

However it has today confirmed that the site did cease trading on July 4.

The spokesperson added: "After many years serving the community we can confirm that the Micklehead Green has closed its doors (last day of operation was July 04).

“We'd like to take this opportunity to thank the local community for their support over the years and our amazing team members.

“We recognise that this will be unsettling for our team members, and we are providing them with dedicated support.

"We are committed to working hard to enable as many as possible of our affected team members to stay with us by either transferring into new roles, or by taking up other vacancies across the business more broadly through our existing recruitment activity.”

It said the move is part of a plan to “optimise” its food and drink offering to add more than 3,500 hotel rooms across its estate and increase “operational efficiencies”.

Whitbread said it plans to sell 126 of its less profitable branded restaurants, and convert 112 restaurants into new hotel rooms.

It is not clear at this stage what the plans could be for the St Helens venue and further information has not been made public.