Premier Inn reaping benefit from series of hotel closures

THE owner of Premier Inn says the budget chain's sales have soared following a wave of closures among rival hotels.

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Whitbread said they were up 18 per cent to £492.8million in the 13 weeks to the start of June.

The average room rate was just over £78, up 16 per cent from £67.17 at the same time last year.

Its London hotels did even better. The increase was just over 30 per cent - from £85.57 to £111.71.

Sales in its fastarm in growing Germany also leapt.

Whitbread group chief executive Dominic Paul said: "Our business is in great shape and trading well.