Butcombe Group rings in second consecutive year of growth
Butcombe Group has experienced “significant growth” last year owing to a record festive trading period and strong performance of Butcombe Boutique Inns and London pubs.
The business, part of the Liberation Group, which is based near Bristol enjoyed like-for-like growth of 9.7% for Butcombe Group’s UK managed pub division, 12.5% like-for-like growth for the full year across Butcombe Boutique Inns and 11.6% like-for-like growth for London pubs in Butcombe’s managed estate.
Spurred on by a strong festive trading period with like-for-like sales at 14.4% over Christmas and New Year fortnight for Butcombe’s managed pub division, the results delivered the group’s record highest week ever over the week including Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and highest ever day on Christmas Day.
Room at the inn
According to the company, “occupancy growth of 180 bps year on year, delivering 76.8% occupancy rate” and the Butcombe loyalty club has also purportedly continued to add “significant value” to the business with 25.3% of sales now attached to loyalty driven by year-on-year growth in loyalty customers of 21% and 25.2% like-for-like growth of the UK tenanted business over the festive period.
Overall for the business, it can also be seen there has been a strong performance for Butcombe Brewing Co with growth in the UK free trade up 21% for the Christmas and New Year fortnight, with the performance of the no and low alcohol beer category up 63.9% for the year.
In a statement, the company highlighted how in its first full year of trading under the Butcombe Group name, having evolved from Liberation Group at the end of 2024, the business has delivered an “exceptional sales performance in the full year to 31 January 2026, reporting like-for-like growth of 8% across its managed pub division including drink at 10.1%, food at 6.5% and accommodation 5.3%”.
Explaining the successes of the business further, the results also revealed that “UK Butcombe Pubs & Inns has delivered 9.7% like-for-like growth, and Channels Islands Liberation Pubs & Bars performed at 3.5% like-for-like in a mature market”.
Sustained focus on investment
The company has attributed its strong results to having had “a sustained focus on investment in the estate, particularly in its room offering”. Added to this, the business has witnessed a “strong demand across the portfolio for its premium room offering with Butcombe Boutique Inns having encouraged the business to add another site to the portfolio, converting the Welldiggers Arms, Petworth to a Butcombe Boutique Inns venue, bringing the estate total up to 12”. There are also plans afoot for “further investment” to “further expand the number of Boutique Inns” in the next financial year.
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London pubs in Butcombe’s managed estate have also shown significant growth delivering like-for-likes of 11.6%, with strong returns for instance at venues such as “The Punch Bowl, The Brown Cow and The Fulham Arms” which are all “encouraging future investment in the city”.
The group has also maintained that its results have also benefitted from its strategic focus on key day parts, dates and events, with “morning sales up 25.9% and weddings delivering 55% growth versus last year”.
Gaining better visibility
Strengthening retail presence has also supported increased brand presence and recognition in new regions and territories for Butcombe Brewing Co over the past 12-months. For example, distribution in the off-trade has increased by 30% year-on-year. This has, according to the beer arm of the business, been down to a key listing with M&S extending the number of stores stocking Butcombe Original as well as Tesco stocking Butcombe Original in a new 440ml can format in 80 stores and Goram IPA Zero in 500mls and Tall Tales Pale Ale in 500mls also each securing listings at 60 Co-op stores.
The rapid growth of no and low brands including Butcombe’s non-alcoholic Goram IPA Zero has also been noted as “a key driver in the growth of the drinks arm of the business”.
Butcombe Group CEO Jonathan Lawson said: “I am delighted to report such strong results and once again I must start with a massive thank you to our amazing teams in the UK and Channel Islands who are at the heart of everything we do and are passionate about delivering the highest standards of service to our customers. To culminate with a record-breaking Christmas with sector leading like-for-likes against tough comparatives last year is incredibly satisfying and demonstrates the strength of our business and the growing loyalty of our customers.”
Staying true to pubs
Lawson explained: “We are proud to see our managed pubs and Inns evolve to meet changing customer needs, while staying true to the character that define British pubs, which has helped us capture new occasions such as mornings and weddings. At the same time, our brewing and drinks business continues to perform strongly, supported by our core brands and a disciplined approach to innovation.”
Lawson added: “As we look ahead, we remain confident that we are well positioned to sustain growth thanks to our brilliant pubs in ideal locations and unmatched guest experience.”
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