Whitbread has announced it is to sell the 260 pubs making up its Brewers Fayre and Beefeater chains. The move comes as part of a strategic decision to retain only those pubs sharing a site with its Premier Travel Inn brand. Whitbread are also considering opening another 100 more pubs on land near the hotels, which would leave the company with a portfolio of 370 pubs. Pub operator Mitchells & Butlers has been named as a potential buyer, with private equity firms also likely to show interest. Whitbread has recently sold its Marriott hotel property portfolio and Chief Executive Alan Parker has hinted at a future sale of its UK interests in TGI Fridays and Pizza Hut. Group pre-tax profits for the year-end march 2006 fell from £143.2m to £101.9m while turnover rose from £1.45bn to £1.58bn.