British pub group Fuller’s is set for a cheery Christmas as workers flock back to the office.
The pub chain, which has around 400 sites in the UK, said bookings for the festive period were 11 per cent ahead of last year, setting the scene for the first normal Christmas since the pandemic.
Despite Covid restrictions being lifted, business was disrupted by train and tube strikes last winter, hitting sales particularly in the City, where Fuller’s has 27 pubs.
But Simon Emeny, chief executive, said the group was heading into December ‘with a great sense of optimism’.
Cheers: Pub chain Fullers, which has around 400 sites in the UK, said current bookings for the festive period were 11% ahead of last year
He said: ‘Certain external factors are moving in our favour with office workers continuing to return to their desks and the City becoming a seven day operation with increased leisure spend at the weekend.
‘We are looking forward to a good Christmas.’
The group revealed sales hit £188.8million in the six months to the end of September – up 12 per cent on the same period of 2022.
This included food sales climbing 15 per cent while drink was up 10 per cent. Profits rose 48 per cent to £14.5million.
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