Festive cheer for Geronimo Inns pubs
London focused food-led operator Geronimo Inns has reported a bumper Christmas trading period with like-for-like sales up 6% on last year.
Overall sales were up 43.7% across the four-week period for its 28-strong estate, although this included seven new pubs.
The six Punch Taverns pubs it bought for £8.34m in the summer accounted for 21% of the sales increase.
"The excellent increase in sales was achieved with no promotional or discounting activity," said managing director Rupert Clevely.
"We have seen a record number of Christmas bookings, with many of them being made by private individuals offsetting fewer corporate bookings."
The number of pints sold was 37% higher than last year at 200,000 while credit card payments accounted for 50% of trade.
Total food sales rose by 40% with more demand for retro pub snacks such as home-made scotch eggs and pork pies.
More wine was sold by the bottle than by the glass with rose taking market share from red and white.
The 22 central London neighbourhood pubs averaged sales of over £20,000 and for the four-week period and 75% of them had a record week in the week ending 20th December.
Geronimo's new Bull outlet at Westfield shopping centre doubled its sales target for the period with drink sales 65% ahead of forecasts.
Despite snow and potential strike actions, its pubs at Heathrow and St Pancras recorded a 7% uplift.
"Overall, the Christmas period has been very successful with good trading," said Clevely.
"The evidence across our estate demonstrates that the London market remains strong, that people want to go out to quality food-led pubs and that Geronimo clearly is providing what people want, how they want it and at a price they can afford."
