Ask's turnover up to £60m

Diners spent more than £60m on food and drink last year at Ask Central's pizza and pasta restaurants.

The company saw its pre-tax profits increase by 51% to £10.4m, compared with £6.9m in 1999. Sales for the year stood at £61.1m. This represented a 48% increase on 1999's turnover of £41.2m.

Last year, Ask opened 25 restaurants, eight of which were Zizzi restaurants, where authentic wood-fired pizza ovens are used.

At the end of the year, the company had 104 restaurants. Of these, 44 were inside the M25 area.

It has restaurants in places such as Marlow in Buckinghamshire, Sevenoaks in Kent, Birmingham, Milton Keynes, Exeter and Cardiff.

Chairman George Cracknell said: "This year has started with improved trading, compared with the same period in 2000. There are, of course, an appreciable number of restaurants which either did not trade for the whole of 2000 or which were not opened until 2001."

Ask has 107 restaurants, with a further five being built. Two of the three restaurants opened so far this year are Zizzis.

The group anticipates further growth this year.