Pub chain to invest in extra rooms

Accommodation and food sales are increasingly important in Eldridge Pope's 131 managed pubs.

In the year to 30 September, income from rooms went up 90% from a little more than £500,000 to slightly less than £1m, and this is expected to grow by at least 50% in the current year. Income from food jumped 15.8% to just more than £10m.

Chief executive Peter Phillipson said the group would continue to add more bedrooms. In the past financial year, Eldridge Pope increased its total bedrooms from 122 to 220. It expects the number to rise to 300 by September 2000.

The group, which also has 63 tenanted pubs, made pre-tax profits before exceptional items of £6.1m (1998: £5.6m) although turnover dropped to £64m from £66.7m.