Eldridge Pope in the red
13 April 2012
TROUBLED pubs operator Eldridge Pope today reported a full-year loss of nearly £10m after taking a £7.5m hit on disposals and suffering tough trading conditions.
New chief executive Susan Barratt pointed to better like-for-like sales at its 39 pubs - up 6.4% in the past eight weeks against a year ago. But comparable sales in its bars, primarily the Toad chain, fell 9.3%.
The shares today shed 5p to 162 1/2p despite the group's decision to peg the dividend at last year's 11.2p.
