Pub company and brewer Greene King reported an increase in sales of 4.6 per cent in the 18 weeks to September 1, and showed growth of 5.6 per cent in the last 10, boosted by the summer sunshine.
Rooney Anand, Greene King’s chief executive said: “This performance has been helped by some one-off factors, including the feel-good factor from continued British sporting success and the arrival of the Royal baby, combined with much improved weather over the summer months.”
The group, which operates brands such as Hungry Horse, Old English Inns and Loch Fyne restaurants, said the strongest growth had come in food and accommodation revenues as more people took their holidays in the UK.
On a like-for-like basis, revenues from food increased by 5.7 per cent during the 18 weeks to 1 September. Retail drink sales were up by 3.7 per cent, while total beer volume in the brewing business was up 1.5 per cent. Among the core brands premium ale Old Speckled Hen led the way with sales up by 7.9 per cent.
In total, Greene King has about 2,300 pubs, hotels and restaurants across the UK, about 1,000 of which are directly owned.
Meanwhile rival Punch Taverns also enjoyed a seasonal growth in the final weeks of its financial year to mid-August. While sales for the 52 weeks dipped by 2.4 per cent they were marginally up by 0.4 per cent in the final quarter.
Previous Post
Combined John Lewis and Waitrose Store in Pipeline
