Wetherspoon's non-smoking pubs' sales down

Sales at JD Wetherspoon's non-smoking pubs have continued to fall, according to a trading statement released by the pub operator today.

The group said sales in its 47 non-smoking pubs fell 7.3 per cent in the 13 weeks to October 23.

Bar sales continued to experience "sharp declines", but were being compensated for by increasing food sales, it added.

Wetherspoon had already noted a seven per cent sales decline in its non-smoking pubs at the time of its full year results announcement at the beginning of September.

It added that it would "review the performance of non-smoking pubs and our future plans in this area" when the group announced its half year results in March next year.

Wetherspoon finance director Jim Clarke said the group was still on course to have 50 non-smoking pubs in place by the end of the year.

It would then call a halt to any more conversions to non-smoking until it had reviewed the situation, although Mr Clarke added the group had no plans to remove food from its offer.

Weekly food sales per pub averaged at around £6,000, he said.

Despite the smoking setback the pub operator said its overall net operating margin for the three months to October 23 2005 was higher than the same period last year.

Like-for-like sales decreased by 0.9 per cent in the first quarter of the current financial year, with total sales up 0.5 per cent to £201.5m.

Wetherspoon said the margin increase came about as a result of cost reductions which it had highlighted at the time of its results announcement in September.

The group added that under the new licensing legislation virtually all of its pubs would open at 9am, seven days a week, although it believed the majority of sales at this time "would comprise breakfasts, coffees and other non-alcoholic drinks".