Pub chain spends £4m on smokers
Fuller, Smith and Turner, maker of London Pride, is spending £4m refurbishing its pubs in a bid to avoid losing customers after the smoking ban.
The brewing chain said it has upgraded the outside areas of its pub estate in preparation for the ban, which comes into force in England on July 1.
It has invested in new canopies, large umbrellas, and "more permanent structures" at its 360 pubs. Separately, Fuller's spent £2.8m on major refurbishments of 21 pubs.
"Fuller's Inns has planned well ahead to comprehensively address the forthcoming smoking ban. We have been and will continue to upgrade our outside areas and provide areas to accommodate our smoking customers," said chairman Anthony Fuller.
All the major chains have invested in refurbishment programmes to provide sheltered areas outdoors, or to spruce up their internal areas to improve their food operations, ahead of the ban.
Last month, JD Wetherspoon warned that its profits would be around £3.3m lower, because of the cost of its refurbishment programme ahead of the ban.
Marstons last year spent £24m on refurbishments, a record for the group, including £7m on outdoor areas for smokers.
But despite this expenditure, some analysts are concerned that the smoking ban may cause income at some pubs to drop.
In Scotland, where smoking was banned in enclosed spaces in March 2006, pub takings reportedly fell by 10% across the industry.
A ban was introduced in Wales in April. Fuller's said today that it was too early to say what impact it has had.
Fuller, Smith and Turner also reported a 31% rise in operating profits to £29.4m, helped by the acquisition of George Gale and Co in 2005.
The company's shares were up 29p in morning trading at £19.12, a rise of 1.5%.
Chief executive Michael Turner also said today that the company has no plans to stop brewing beer in west London, even though rival brewer Young and Co made a £46m profit by selling its site in the capital.
Graeme Wearden
Friday June 8, 2007
Guardian Unlimited
© Guardian News and Media Limited 2007
Fuller, Smith and Turner, maker of London Pride, is spending £4m refurbishing its pubs in a bid to avoid losing customers after the smoking ban.
The brewing chain said it has upgraded the outside areas of its pub estate in preparation for the ban, which comes into force in England on July 1.
It has invested in new canopies, large umbrellas, and "more permanent structures" at its 360 pubs. Separately, Fuller's spent £2.8m on major refurbishments of 21 pubs.
"Fuller's Inns has planned well ahead to comprehensively address the forthcoming smoking ban. We have been and will continue to upgrade our outside areas and provide areas to accommodate our smoking customers," said chairman Anthony Fuller.
All the major chains have invested in refurbishment programmes to provide sheltered areas outdoors, or to spruce up their internal areas to improve their food operations, ahead of the ban.
Last month, JD Wetherspoon warned that its profits would be around £3.3m lower, because of the cost of its refurbishment programme ahead of the ban.
Marstons last year spent £24m on refurbishments, a record for the group, including £7m on outdoor areas for smokers.
But despite this expenditure, some analysts are concerned that the smoking ban may cause income at some pubs to drop.
In Scotland, where smoking was banned in enclosed spaces in March 2006, pub takings reportedly fell by 10% across the industry.
A ban was introduced in Wales in April. Fuller's said today that it was too early to say what impact it has had.
Fuller, Smith and Turner also reported a 31% rise in operating profits to £29.4m, helped by the acquisition of George Gale and Co in 2005.
The company's shares were up 29p in morning trading at £19.12, a rise of 1.5%.
Chief executive Michael Turner also said today that the company has no plans to stop brewing beer in west London, even though rival brewer Young and Co made a £46m profit by selling its site in the capital.
Graeme Wearden
Friday June 8, 2007
Guardian Unlimited
© Guardian News and Media Limited 2007
