Pubs celebrate Easter profits

Pubs across the UK celebrated healthy profits over the Easter weekend as the good weather brought pub-goers out in droves.

Seaside pubs were particularly thriving, as people flocked to the coast to enjoy the sun.

Toby Dawson, licensee of the Bedford Tavern in Brighton, said business was very busy all weekend.

"We had a very good weekend, and the best of my three years here.

"It was largely because of the weather, but we were particularly busy on Easter Sunday because of a parade. The seafront was very busy."

Nick Hayman, licensee of the Central in Newquay, said that trade was good all weekend.

"The sunshine brought everyone out, and Saturday was particularly busy," he said.

However, although pubs by the sea were attracting the crowds, others also did well over the bank holiday.

Christine Lewis, who runs the Franklin Tavern, also in Brighton, said that although most of the tourist trade was being picked up by pubs closer to the beach, it was still a profitable weekend.

"We're slightly out of town and rely more on our locals than tourists, but along the seafront, it was rammed.

"We were a bit busier on food, and were busier than usual on the last day before the weekend.

Debbie Lloyd, licensee of the Cambridge Blue in Cambridge, said that Thursday and Good Friday were particularly busy.

"The Weather was nice all weekend, but we were at our busiest on Thursday and Friday.

"Overall, we did better than in previous years, but I think on Saturday and Sunday, a lot of people may have gone to the seaside."

Boat race pulls in punters​​

The Oxford-Cambridge boat race always attracts swathes of thirsty crowds to London's various riverside pubs, and the added sunshine made this a particularly busy year for licensees.

Nick Kiley, licensee of The Dove in Hammersmith, said they were "very very busy from Friday night right through to Easter Monday".

"Saturday was 33 per cent above the prior year. The boat race was on the same weekend last year, so the weather obviously helped.

"During summer we are busy, but this is one of the busiest weekends of the year, certainly in the top three."