According to Coffer Peach Business Tracker, like for like sales for August are up 1.5 per cent on the same month last year, following a 1.9 per cent increase in July and a 1.4 per cent increase in June.
The figures also report a 2.9 per cent rise in total sales, which includes new openings.
However, the rise in sales in from August to August masks a significant fall in sales in consecutive months. In fact month on month sales were down by 16.1 per cent on July.
Richard Hathaway, head of travel, leisure and tourism at KPMG, which helped compile the figures, said: “This could be due in part to the end of the World Cup, coupled with poorer weather conditions. If so, this may sound alarm bells for autumn sales if poorer weather conditions take hold,”
Peter Martin, of Peach Factory, which produced the data, was more optimistic.
“These latest figures suggest some stability as well as growth in the market, which is particularly benefiting the bigger and branded players. This trend is also reflected in our Peach BrandTrack consumer research, which shows a steady move by the public towards branded eating out chains, both in terms of consumer awareness and usage.”
The monthly Coffer Peach Business Tracker figures monitored performance across 17 pub and restaurant operators, including Mitchells & Butlers, Whitbread, Pizza Hut, Punch Pub Co, Gondola and Tragus.
The figures are compiled by Peach Factory in partnership with KPMG, UBS and the Coffer Group.