Pubs report strong bank holiday trading

Pubs enjoyed a busy bank holiday despite the wash out weather over most of the UK.

Whiting & Hammond pub the Little Brown Jug in Tonbridge, Kent, hosted its third beer festival over the long weekend, taking £35,000 over four days, up from a usual £30,000.

"The festival has grown and grown," said founder Brian Keeley Whiting. "We had a fantastic weekend despite the weather. It started off with 18 beers but we ended up serving 30 as we ran out and had to borrow from nearby pubs."

The Greene King leased pub put on a barbecue, a hog roast, live music and face painting.

"We were panicking on Friday as we thought no one would turn up, but it couldn't have gone any better."

The Lamb at Satwell, Oxfordshire, also reported strong weekend trading.

Co-owner Chris Smith said: "It was the best weekend this year, with Saturday being the busiest day." Around 300 meals were served over Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Finance director of Renaissance pubs Nick Fox reported trading was up 11% net on like-for-like sales for the week ending 3 May, despite one of the group's five pubs being closed for a refurbishment.

Total takings were around £110,000 despite Saturday not being as busy as normal.

"The sites with gardens were adversely affected by the bad weather and we have a lot of Pimm's left as it was too cold to sell but overall I'm very pleased with the weekend," said Fox. "We are always at the mercy of the weather."

Renaissance owns five pubs in south-east London — the Bolingbroke, the Stonhouse, the Avalon, the Abbeville and the White Hart, which is re-opening as the Tommyfield this week.

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