October sunshine boosts UK pubs

Published: 15 November, 2011

Pub and restaurant operators had a successful October despite the economic gloom, according to new figures.

Like-for-like sales among 24 leading companies were up 0.9% according to Coffer Peach Business Tracker. Total sales, including new openings, were up 5.1%.

The figures also come on the back of a 2.8% like-for-like rise in September, a 0.6% increase in August and a 1% advance in July.

Peter Martin of Peach Factory, which collates the data in partnership with KPMG, UBS and the Coffer Group, said: "People may be reluctant to go out and buy more stuff, but they are still willing to go out to eat and drink.

"Quality is still the main factor in choosing where to go out, but value is becoming increasingly important, and with the cost of eating-in and eating-out narrowing in many parts of the market, it remains an attractive proposition even for those with families."

Trevor Watson, director at Davis Coffer Lyons, said: "The figures show that operators have been able to sustain and indeed grow top-line sales. Some operators have benefited from the unseasonably warm and dry autumn. Management emphasis continues to be focused on defending margins against a background of rising costs in just about every key line of the P&L account."

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