Leisure and Hospitality group Whitbread has reported total sales growth of 10.4% and announced that it is on-track to deliver full-year results in-line with expectations. This was largely due to its coffee chain Costa, which grew its worldwide total sales by 14.2% and like for like UK sales by 3.0% for the 50 week period.

Meanwhile, Premier Inn continued to win UK market share, growing total sales for the 50 weeks by 11.1% and like-for-like sales by 4.4%.

This year, the group plans to open around 5,500 new UK Premier Inn rooms with a further 5,000 in the pipeline for next year. This adds to 200 net new stores planned for Costa worldwide and a further 230 next year.

Alison Brittain, Chief Executive of Whitbread, comments: "Whitbread has had another good trading period, delivering year to date total sales growth of 10.4% and like for like sales growth of 3.2%. We expect to report full year profit in line with expectations.

“In the quarter, Premier Inn had a good performance growing total sales by 7.3% with occupancy rising by 0.3% pts to 71.4% and rooms available increasing by 6.9%. Like for like sales grew by 2.2%, which is ahead of our like for like revpar (revenue per available room) growth at 0.4%, as we benefitted from our substantial, higher returning, hotel extensions programme. Costa had good total sales growth of 10.5% and like for like sales growth of 0.5% reflecting lower footfall on the high street and an unusually warm winter.

“In the year ahead, as we build towards our growth milestones, we will continue to invest in improving our customer propositions, our digital and IT capabilities and in our winning teams to ensure we maintain our market leading positions. This will deliver long term profitable growth and sustainable returns for our shareholders."