Price cuts put brakes on Revolution slump

Cheaper drinks have helped boost sales at Inventive Leisure's Revolution bars, slowing the decline which led to a surprise profit warning earlier this year.

The Leeds-based group said discounting on drinks in non-peak periods, and refocusing on the brand's core offerings of cocktails, efficient service and day-time food, had eased the negative trend and offset the impact of the Euro 2004 football championships.

The company last week announced that like-for-like sales in the final quarter of the financial year had improved by six percentage points - although they remained 8% behind last year - but had dented margins by only 1%.

"We've had an intensive look at a couple of problematic sites and really concentrated on ways to stress the difference between us and competitors," said development director Neil MacLeod. "While we haven't got a total reversal, things have improved slightly and at a minimal cost to the business."

Inventive Leisure has also withdrawn from new sites in Shoreditch and York, which the business deemed were too small, at no cost. New openings in January 2005 are still planned for Leeds and Cardiff, but the anticipated Nottingham outlet is being put on hold.

MacLeod said that the high-street market was still tough, "because there are too many bars and not enough customers".