Gondola Holdings, the owner of PizzaExpress, Ask and Zizzi, is to ramp up its rate of restaurant openings in 2007.

The group, which listed on the Alternative Investment Market last November, said today that it would up its planned openings for next year from 23 to 30 restaurants.

In a pre-close statement Gondola said like-for-like sales were up 4% on last year, while total sales shot up 7%.

Despite turnover in the past few weeks of the final quarter taking a knock due to the hot weather and distraction of the World Cup, the company said it had enjoyed similar growth levels in the second half of the year as it had in the first.

Gondola currently has 518 restaurants across the UK.

Gondola credits back to basics approach for increased sales >>

PizzaExpress and Ask boost half-year sales by 8% >>

By Alix Young

Get your copy of Caterer and Hotelkeeper every week - click here to subscribe and save 25%.