Amber Taverns plans 100 pubs by end of 2014

Wet-led pub company Amber Taverns, based in Preston, is planning to grow to 100 sites by the end of 2014.

The news came as the group revealed that like-for-like sales over the 12-day festive period were up by 6%.

Amber specialises in running wet-led pubs, located at the heart of their communities, which are refurbished to high standards with full access to major televised sporting events.

Its 93-strong pub portfolio stretches across Northern England, the Midlands and North Wales.

Amber has two sites currently under refurbishment in Chesterfield and Hull, as well as four sites which are due to be refurbished shortly in Sedgley, York, Carlisle and Ferryhill near Durham.

The group said it also planned to invest £1m capex on beer gardens at six pubs within its existing estate, following the success of similar developments at its pubs in Leigh and Runcorn last year.

Clive Preston, chairman of Amber Taverns, said: "This is a pleasing performance in what was a mixed period on the weather front which, once again, illustrates the ongoing appeal of well run, wet-led community pubs, generating sustainable growth in the geographies in which we operate. Amber continues to go from strength to strength and we remain within reach of our target of achieving a 100-strong pub portfolio by the end of this year."