Whitbread announces rise in profits
Whitbread, the company behind Costa Coffee and Premier Inn, have announced a 1% rise in profits.
Underlying pre-tax profit rose 16.5%, excluding £38.5m in one-off costs.
The group's chief executive, Andy Harrison, said economic improvement both in London and the wider regions had helped boost consumer spending.
However Mr Harrison told BBC Radio 5 live's Adam Parsons that expanding globally to the Middle East, India and China would be "very important" in securing the firm's long term future.
29 Apr 2014
- From the section Business