WHITBREAD toasted a good Christmas despite a slowdown in consumer spending.
The firm, which employs more than 1,000 at its Blackburn distribution depot and Samlesbury brewery, reported sales in December were slightly ahead of the same period last year and in line with expectations.
The group said that a slowdown in consumer spending had affected sales in food-based managed pubs such as Brewers Fayre and Beefeater but there had been good growth in Travel Inn budget hotels and its 1,700 leased pubs.
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