JW Lees reports record-breaking festive season
JW Lees Managed Houses led the charge during the festive season.
JW Lees has reported a record trading month for December 2026.
Managed Houses within the William Lees-Jones business led the charge, with Christmas Day sales up 20.5% on 2024.
Over the six-week trading period to include Christmas and New Year, retail sales were up 9.9%, with drink sales up 8.4%, food sales up 10.4% and bedroom sales up 15.7%.
The three-week core Christmas period from 15 December to 4 January saw retail sales up +14.1%
"Our team executed Christmas extremely well with both events and walk-ins performing well," says Lees-Jones. "In some ways it was a perfect storm with Christmas Day falling on a Thursday and no snow or named storms in the festive period and there was probably some relief after the chancellor’s Budget, since things were not as grim for consumers as had been trailed in the media.
"We will continue to lobby the chancellor to make changes to both inheritance taxes and business rates since we believe that well run family businesses and the hospitality sector are critical for growth in the UK economy and taxing these sectors to the hilt will stop growth."
JW Lees employs over 1,600 people, 150 at the brewery and site in Middleton Junction and over 1,375 in its 49 managed pubs, inns and hotels. JW Lees also lets another 87 pubs to JW Lees Pub Partners.
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