Managed pub operators see more sales gains

Trading across the UK's leading pub and restaurant chains rose for the fourth consecutive month in September, according to new research.

The Coffer Peach Business Tracker, which analyses sales data from 17 large pub and restaurant operators including Mitchells & Butlers and Punch Pub Company, said combined like-for-like sales in September were one per cent up on the same month last year.

Total sales for the month, including new openings, were 2.3 per cent ahead, and 15.1 per cent up on August's figures.

Peter Martin, founder of Peach Factory, part of the Business Tracker, said: "These latest figures reflect the competitive positioning of the larger groups, often running branded business, and the willingness of the public to continue to go out and have a good time, whether eating or drinking."

And despite the rate of like-for-like growth slowing in September, current trading appeared more stable than at the start of the year, said Jonathan Leinster, head of European leisure and tobacco research at UBS Investment Bank, another Business Tracker member.

"As autumn menus were introduced in 2009, many operators increased prices ahead of the January 2010 VAT rise," he said.

"We expect this will occur again, but comparisons to last year's fourth quarter average of 2.3 per cent growth could prove difficult."

Industry watchers are mindful of the impact on consumer spending in the coming months of measures to be outlined in the government's 'comprehensive spending review', which is being announced in the House of Commons tomorrow [Wednesday].

Pub operators in areas where there are high numbers of people employed by the public sector are girding themselves for the knock-on effect of job losses in local authorities and government departments.