A Hard Rock sales renaissance has helped boost the performance of owner Rank group since the start of the year.

Hard Rock, which includes a café and hotel business, saw like-for-like sales in company-owned cafes increase by 9%, with food and beverage sales up 12% and merchandise sales up 4%.

Hard Rock attributed much of the success to the relocation of its New York site to Times Square last summer.

The company remains on course to add a further five or seven new cafes this year, most of which will be operated by franchise partners.

Ian Burke is now chief executive of Rank Group after taking over from Mike Smith in March. 

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By Alix Young

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