CHANGES TO PUB SEGMENTAL REPORTING AND TRADING UPDATE
Trading update
Snow and exceptionally cold weather throughout the UK in the three months to the end of March inevitably affected trading across our pub estate and we expect to report operating profit for the first half slightly below that of last year. As previously guided, the interest charge for the period will be higher, principally due to the step-up in securitised interest. However, our expectations for the overall trading performance for the full year remain unchanged.
As part of the operational restructuring described above and our ongoing focus on minimising costs, we expect to reduce operating costs by around £3m per year, with about half of this amount benefitting the results for the second half of this year. Trading has started well in the second half and we expect to benefit from less challenging sales comparatives for the remainder of the financial year. We have opened nine new pub restaurants in the financial year to date and anticipate opening at least 20 by the end of the year which, combined with the rollover benefit of the back-ended 2012 programme, will generate additional profit in the second half.
We will announce our Interim Results for the 26 weeks to 30 March 2013 on 16 May 2013.