Pubs predict positive Christmas trading with bookings up

A straw poll by the Publican’s Morning Advertiser​ has revealed that operators are feeling more positive than last year with many predicting a stronger Christmas than 2012. 

This follows news from major operators such as Greene King, which has just over 1,000 managed pubs, reporting bookings up 13% for Christmas and Marston’s, with more than 2,000 pubs, reporting strong bookings for the Christmas period.

Mark Williams, operations director at Red Mist Leisure, the five-strong pub company, said the company has got it "bang on" this year in terms of driving sales in the build up to Christmas.

Increase in reservations​

Williams confirmed an increase in Christmas reservations with predicted like-for-like sales up 25% at the Exchequer pub in Crookham, Hampshire. Other pubs in the company have seen a 16% increase in predicted sales, again based on reservations for Christmas.

Williams said: "We start planning what we are going to do for the festive season in January. Each year we discuss what we did right and wrong. All the menus were sorted and ready to go by June. Our ethos this year has been to strike early."

It’s a busy time for bookings in January for Red Mist too, with the pubco targeting those industries that don’t have the time or are unable to celebrate Christmas until January. For that reason it keeps festive meals on the menu well into the new year.

James Davy, chairman of the 28-strong Davy’s wine bars and restaurants group, said: "Christmas 2013 bookings are markedly up on last year as has been reported by a number of operators, so the challenge for Davy’s is to make sure we use the opportunity to continue to build on our reputation for service and quality."

'Get in the game or get out'​

Kyle MacRae from the Royal Oak, Appleby, Cumbria, said the pub has more Christmas bookings this year than last year. He said: "We had to reduce our prices to be more competitive. You either have to get in the game or get out. We dropped prices by 10% so a three-course meal is now £16.

"Things are determined by the weather here. But this year we’ve had no snow, it’s very mild. We are £70,000 up this year, overall about 5%."

MacRae said the gradual opening of more accommodation rooms at the pub has helped to achieve the current sales figures.

Paul Beer, partner at the Illustrious Pub Company, which runs three pubs in Cambridgeshire, said: "It’s all looking positive. The Christmas parties with discos go down really well. They keep us going. Overall, this year we will do better than last year."