Whitbread profits up
Whitbread's sales during December were ahead of the same period last year, with profits growing faster than sales.
This was despite its decision to close many pubs and restaurants early on New Year's Eve.
Like-for-like sales at Whitbread Inns have increased since the start of the second half of the group's financial year at the end of August 1999. Brewers Fayre's like-for-like sales were 3.3% up, but in the restaurants division, sales were down by nearly 1%.
Whitbread's hotels, its David Lloyd leisure clubs and its leased pubs all continued their "strong growth and positive like-for-like performances", said the company.