Festive sales buoy seasonal growth at Greene King

Record Christmas Day trading underpinned growth in like-for-like sales at pub retailer Greene King, according to the group's interim management statement for the 36 weeks to January 6th 2013.

Some 448,000 Christmas meals were served in Greene King outlets contributing to Christmas Day sales of £2.7m, a 6.8% increase on the previous year's results for the same day, the results disclosed.

Total sales in Greene King Retail, the group's largest business, were up 9.5% after 36 weeks, with like-for-like sales growth of 3.7%. Like-for-like growth in the last six weeks was 2.8%, following 8.8% growth in the comparative period last year.

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The average earnings before interest tax depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) per pub in Pub Partners was also up 4.2%.

Anand: Pubs play 'vital role' for communitiesRooney Anand, Chief Executive Officer of Greene King, commented: "Pubs continue to play a vital role for customers, families and communities across the UK during the festive period, especially in this difficult financial environment.

"We once again achieved record Christmas bookings and strong like-for-like sales growth across Christmas and the New Year. We achieved record Christmas Day sales of £2.7m, up 6.8%, and during the whole of December, we sold 448,000 Christmas meals, another record for Greene King."

MF