Greene King brews up record-breaking Christmas
Pub retailer Greene King has posted a rise in like-for-like sales of five per cent for the last six weeks.
The company achieved a six per cent rise in like-for-like sales over the years two most important trading weeks. Christmas Day proved to be the most successful in the company's history, with 62,000 meals sold, driving retail sales over 12 per cent to £3.1m compared to the previous year.
Rooney Anand, chief executive officer, said:
Trading over the important Christmas and New Year period has been very strong with all of our businesses performing well, driven by the strength of our seasonal offers and our continued focus on delivering industry-leading value, service and quality to our customers
The Suffolk-based company enjoyed a 13 per cent rise in Christmas bookings as customers splashed out over the holiday season.
The positive results come in the wake of the firm's continued expansion; "the managed estate added 22 sites in the first half, with a further 25 expected in the second half. 2015 guidance has been raised from 49 to 62 new sites" said Douglas Jack, analyst as Numis Securities.
In the 36 weeks to 13 January Greene King retail, the company's largest business, reported like-for-like sales growth of 3.8 per cent.
The company – which operates the Hungry Horse, Old English Inns, Eating Inn and Loch Fyne restaurants – has around 2,300 pubs in total – including its pub partner business which it aims to reduce by 2015.