Re Directorate

Whitbread PLC
21 December 2000


                    Whitbread PLC - directorate

Whitbread PLC announces the following changes to the composition and duties of
the board.

Following a decision to merge the Finance and Planning roles,  Alan Perelman
will retire from the company on April 30, 2001 after more than 11 years
service. David Richardson is to become Finance Director from March 1, 2001. 
He  will also retain most of his current responsibilities as Strategic
Planning Director.

David Turner, Group Finance Director of GKN Plc, since 1994,  will become a
non-executive director of Whitbread from January 1, 2001.  Mr Turner was
previously Group Finance Director of Booker Plc and held several senior
positions with Mobil Oil.

Miles Templeman has stepped down as a non-executive director.  Mr Templeman
was Managing Director of the Whitbread Beer Company which was sold to
Interbrew in May, 2000.

Sir John Banham, Chairman, said: 'I would like to thank Alan and Miles for the
major contributions they have made to Whitbread.  In David Richardson we have
an excellent internal successor as Finance Director and David Turner brings a
wealth of relevant experience to the Whitbread board.'


For further information:

Whitbread PLC
David Reed          -       Tel: [phone]
Jeremy Probert      -       Tel: [phone]