Toby Carvery campaign attracts new customers

Toby Carvery's Great British Roast Dinner Debate TV and radio ads have helped attract a new, less price conscious consumer to the outlets.

The campaign, which featured Gavin and Stacey star James Cordon, asked customers to vote on which is the best meat for a roast. The campaign attracted 100,000 followers to its Facebook page.

Chief executive Adam Fowle said the campaign had been "a source of competitive advantage" while marketing spend still remained at less than 1% of sales.

He said the TV ads could be repeated for different formats — a campaign for Sizzling Pub Company has already been launched.

Margin at Toby Carvery increased 0.9% points on a percentage basis and 2.8% on a cash basis — aided by a 4-5% increase in menu prices prior to the marketing campaign.

Fowle said that price conscious consumers had been replaced by less price conscious consumers at Toby Carvery with spend increasing on starters, puddings and drinks. "We have new customers spending more time with us."

On the expected VAT rise to 20%, Fowle said M&B would "dip its toe in the water" as to whether any of the rise could be absorbed."

He added M&B was looking to progress the sale of 300 pubs as quickly as possible but stressed it was not a "fire sale".

He said: "It will take a long as it takes to get good value. We should be in a position to update at the end of the summer."