Record revenues seen in Butcombe Group results

Record revenues of £149m have been revealed in Butcombe Group's latest full-year results, versus £144.4m in the previous year. 

The owner of the current National Pub & Bar of the Year has shared its results for the year ended 25 January 2025, with its managed pubs seeing like-for-like revenue growth of 7.8%. 

While Butcombe saw 7.4% growth in underlying group EBITDA (£13.8m) and 8.1% growth in divisional EBITDA, its operating result shows a loss of £4.6m. This, the groups says, is largely influenced by prudent accounting policies, particularly around depreciation of fixtures and fittings, and impairment charges. 

"We are delighted to report another strong year across all divisions of Butcombe Group," says Jonathan Lawson, CEO of Butcombe Group. "We have delivered record revenues and sector-leading like-for-like growth of 7.8% in our managed pubs, a clear indication of our continued operational strength and effective strategic investments.

"This result is especially pleasing considering the strong comparatives we faced against last year. We have made substantial progress in harnessing our data and loyalty capabilities, which have significantly enhanced our customer understanding and engagement. With loyalty transactions across our managed pubs now representing 22% of total sales and a greater percentage of our like-for-like growth." 

Looking forward

Lawson says Butcombe has carried this momentum into the new financial year, achieving impressive Q1 like-for-like sales growth of 11.1%, underpinned by strong performances in food (+10.3%), drink (+13.3%), and accommodation (+5.3%). Notably, it delivered its highest-ever trading day on Mother’s Day, surpassing its previous record set on Christmas Day.

"The Brewing and Drinks division was broadly flat versus last year in Q1, once again the UK Free Trade performance lead the way growing by 8% vs LY, with online ordering now adding a further service provision to our customers and driving basket spend," he says. "While we remain mindful of the ongoing inflationary pressures and changes to National Insurance contributions that impact the broader hospitality sector, we are confident in our strategy. Our continued focus on premium segments, operational efficiencies, and customer-centric innovation positions us strongly for sustained EBITDA growth and margin enhancement through the rest of the year."

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