Premier Inn owner Whitbread has reported a 71% dive in sales in its first quarter at the hands of lingering lockdown restrictions.
Whitbread’s like-for-like accommodation sales fell by 62%, with food and beverage down 86%, in the 13 weeks to 27 May.
The company said Premier Inn’s UK sales performance was 11 percentage points ahead of the market.
It added that it had seen “encouraging trends” post-17 May, when overnight leisure stays were permitted.
In the period prior to 17 May, when only essential business stays were allowed, occupancy levels grew from 35% to around 50%. The average room rate of £40.94 was down 33% against the previous year.
Premier Inn now has 98% of its hotels and restaurants open.
Chief executive Alison Brittain said: “We hold a uniquely advantaged position in the UK, built on our scale, market-leading direct distribution, and strength of the Premier Inn brand.
“Our position as the market leader in the fast-recovering budget sector is combined with a broad, domestic focussed customer mix. This, alongside our financial flexibility and ability to invest in our customer proposition when others are constrained, means we are well-positioned to continue our strong performance.”
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