TLC Inns reports strong Christmas trading

Pub operator TLC Inns reported a strong festive period, with like-for-like sales up by 8% in December 2011.

The company, founded by Steve Haslam and Jo Drain in 2006, operates six pubs and restaurants in Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Essex and Hertfordshire.

Sales across four sites rose to £480,000 for the month, compared with £444,000 for the same month the year before.

The company also traded two new sites, Grand Central in Basildon, Essex, and the Catherine Wheel, near Albury Ware, Hertfordshire, which achieved total sales of £188,000 for the month, meaning total company sales were £668,000, up just over 50% up on the year before.

TLC Inns managing director Steve Haslam said: "These are extremely encouraging figures produced in a very challenging operating marketplace. Competition is fierce and the pressure on the consumer pound remains high during this period of economic uncertainty.

"This pressure will continue for the foreseeable future and it is expected trading will be difficult, especially through the first quarter of 2012. "Our venues have demonstrated their resilience to the trading conditions - all existing venues showed an increase in sales in December compared with the same period the year before. We expect continued performances ahead of the prevailing market."

The company has increased operating profits by more than 125% over its two most recent financial years. In the year-end to March 2009 it reported an operating profit of £205,000. For the most recent financial year to end of March 2011, operating profits had increased to £455,000.

By Neil Gerrard

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