With Loungers trading 'fantastically well' and its organic growth strategy 'never looking more relevant', management is pulling no punches. Since full reopening on 17 May, its first nine weeks' like-for-like sales growth of 24% on the same period of 2019 shows material market outperformance (restaurants +8% like-for-like in June, according to Coffer CGA Business Tracker) and sustains the buoyancy of its initial month (+27%). Yet more striking is Loungers' resumption of its historical run rate of 25 openings a year (seven in the latest quarter) with clear scope to accelerate (already filling FY23 pipeline) and at increasingly attractive sites, given the boost from pandemic fallout and strong finances (c £30m current liquidity). Staffing challenges should be mitigated by ensuring that Loungers remains a hospitality employer of choice.Den vollständigen Artikel lesen ...