Premier Inn boosts Whitbread's performance

THE country's biggest hotel operator Whitbread said first quarter sales rose 7.6 per cent year-on-year, boosted by a strong performance at its hotel chain Premier Inn.

The group, which also owns Costa Coffee and the Beefeater and Brewers Fayre pub restaurant chains, said in the thirteen weeks to June 3 comparable sales at Premier Inn rose 10.5 per cent as occupancy rose and it charged more per room.

Whitbread said its Costa Coffee unit posted like-for-like sales which were 8.5 per cent higher, while its four restaurant chains saw comparable sales grow by 3.6 per cent.

Whitbread said it was strongly placed for any recovery but was cautious on the economic outlook.

"We are not planning on the consumer climate becoming any easier," said the company in a statement.