Restaurant group Tragus has announced plans to open 59 new premises over the next 18 months following strong Christmas and New Year trading.
Like for like sales for its three key brands, Café Rouge, Strada and Bella Italia, totalling 174 restaurants, rose 4.5% in the four weeks to 6 January, while across the group sales were up 24.7%.
The group said 38 new Café Rouge and Strada outlets were planned as the brands continued to be “well regarded by developers”, with a further 20 new stores to open across the group next year, with nine sites already exchanged and a further 10 identified.
Additionally, Tragus’ first Huxleys Bar & Kitchen is to launch in Heathrow’s Terminal 5 development in March 2008.
Chief executive Graham Turner said: “This year has seen a more challenging trading period than that of a year ago but our affordable all day offer and portfolio of brands continue to have a broad appeal and we see no change in the overall long term demand for casual dining.”
