Mon 15th Jul 2019 - Sector like-for-likes up 1.4% in June as restaurants recover but pubs suffer hangover Sector like-for-likes up 1.4% in June as restaurants recover but pubs suffer hangover: Sector managed like-for-likes were up 1.4% in June as restaurants recovered but pubs suffered a hangover from last year’s heatwave and football fever, according to the latest Coffer Peach Tracker. Restaurant group like-for-likes were up 6.1%, while pubs and bars saw a 1.2% decline. Regionally, market performance inside and outside London was broadly in line, with like-for-likes up 1.8% and 1.3% respectively. In pubs and bars, drink sales took a bigger hit than food over the month, down 2.2% against a 1.2% fall in meals. Restaurants recorded a 2.9% increase in covers over the month. “It’s all down to football and the weather,” said Karl Chessell, director of CGA, the business insight consultancy that produces the Tracker, in partnership with Coffer Group and RSM. “Last June, pub and bar groups saw sales jump 2.8%, largely thanks to the mini-heatwave at home and England’s good showing in the Fifa World Cup, while restaurants suffered a 1.8% decline. This June the roles have reversed, with more sedate conditions favouring eating rather than drinking out. It demonstrates how outside factors still influence trading patterns. The underlying good news is the market overall still grew, if modestly, by 1.4%, despite all the current political uncertainty, predictions of tumbling consumer confidence and flat trading in May.” Mark Sheehan, managing director of Coffer Corporate Leisure, added: “These are encouraging numbers. Last June, the World Cup gave an overall boost despite restaurants suffering and to beat those numbers on a net basis shows some much-needed positivity. It’s tough out there but the hospitality sector is showing some much-needed resilience.” Total sales across the 50 companies in the Tracker, which include the effect of net new openings since this time last year, were ahead 3.7% compared with last June. Underlying like-for-like growth for the Tracker cohort, which represents large and small groups, was running at 1.6% for the 12 months to the end of June.