Whitbread’s budget hotels continue to be the company's best performers, as like-for-like sales at its pub, restaurant and health club businesses have stagnated due to weak consumer spending.
Like-for-like sales at Premier Travel Inn during the 13 weeks to 2 June were 8.2% up on the same period last year.
The like-for-like figure does not include Premier Lodge, which Whitbread bought last year, creating the largest hotel chain in the UK with 29,000 bedrooms. A further 1,800 bedrooms are due to open in the next six months.
In the pub-restaurant division, which includes Brewers Fayre and Brewsters, like-for-like sales were 1% lower than last year and described as disappointing.
High-street restaurant like-for-like sales were 0.1% lower.
David Lloyd Leisure, the company’s health club business, saw its like-for-like sales fall by 0.1%.
Whitbread’s chief executive, Alan Parker, described the company’s performance as “creditable” in a difficult environment.
He said the company’s joint venture with Marriott had traded well with like-for-like sales up by 4%, adding that the process of disposing of the properties had started and was attracting encouraging levels of interest.
Total sales at the group increased by 5% year-on-year, and by 14.1% if Premier Lodge is included.
Buy this week's Caterer magazine for more industry news and analysis