Leading restaurant groups see sales ahead +1.7% in September

21st October 2009, 12:09pm

New figures from the Coffer Peach Business Tracker have shown that Britain’s leading pub and restaurant groups saw a collective rise of 1.7% in like-for-like sales in September.

The analysts said "it confirms the sure footedness of the bigger operators during the downturn".

These latest numbers mark six consecutive months of positive like-for-likes collectively from the 13 major companies that make up the Business Tracker sample. Operators making up the sample include leading managed pub chains Mitchells & Butlers, Whitbread and Punch Pub Co and leading casual dining restaurant groups Gondola, Pizza Hut and Tragus.

In fact, apart from a blip caused by Easter falling in different months in 2009 and 2008, like-for-likes have stayed in positive territory throughout the year so far.

Mark Sheehan, managing director of Coffer Corporate Leisure, part of The Coffer Group, said: "These numbers show a steadily improving performance overall from the bigger operators. Multiple operators are generally feeling a bit more confident and certainly in the restaurant sector are on the expansion trail again."

Richard Hathaway, head of Travel, Leisure and Tourism at KPMG, added: "While year on year sales at the UK's large pub and restaurant groups continue to hold their own, the fall in monthly sales in September is a sobering reminder that autumn is traditionally a tougher period and is likely to be even more so this year. We are seeing differing fortunes across the sector, just in the last week Whitbread posted a robust set of results, while others such as Tootsies went in to administration.

"It is tougher out there for the smaller operators, scale and brand recognition seems to be a key element of survival in these straightened times, as consumers seek out the best experience for the best price. There is a ray of light as the festive period approaches, but for some the challenge will be getting there. We may well see further discounting in the sector in an attempt to maintain customer footfall."

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