The pub chain making millions from customers earning over £75,000
Key Points
- Fuller's has revealed it over-indexes among households earning more than £75,000 a year, a group it says fiercely protects its discretionary spending on going out.
- The London pub group holds a database of 6.9 million customers, with 2.6 million fully contactable, which it uses to understand income and spending patterns.
- The premium strategy helped drive like-for-like drink sales up 5.8%, food sales up 3.5% and accommodation sales up 4.9%, with an average room rate of £127.50.
- Fuller's uses a tool called Sentiment Search to monitor customer reviews and feedback across review sites and its own channels.
- The company reported adjusted profit before tax up 28% to £34.6 million on revenue of £397.8 million for the year to 28 March 2026.
London pub group Fuller’s has revealed that wealthy customers underpin its business, with the company saying it over-indexes among households earning more than £75,000 a year.
The disclosure came in the company’s full-year results, published on Wednesday, 10 June 2026, in which Fuller’s reported adjusted profit before tax of £34.6 million, up 28% on the previous year, on revenue of £397.8 million.
Fuller’s, which runs 185 managed pubs and hotels and 152 tenanted pubs across the southern half of England, said understanding its customers is central to its strategy.
“We over-index among higher income groups, particularly those with a household income above £75k, and this group fiercely protects its discretionary spend on going out,” the company said.
The company holds a database of 6.9 million customers, of which 2.6 million are fully contactable, giving it what it described as a clear communication route to its audience.
Fuller’s said it uses this data to understand customers’ income and spending patterns, ensuring its food, drink and accommodation offer stays relevant and attractive to this group.
“Delivering a fantastic food, drink and accommodation offer, and exciting reasons to visit, to these premium customers ensures they continue to choose us when spending their leisure pound,” it said.
The approach appears to be working. Like-for-like food sales rose 3.5% over the year, drink sales climbed 5.8% and accommodation sales increased 4.9%.
Fuller’s also disclosed that the average room rate across its 1,030 hotel bedrooms now stands at £127.50 per night.
Monitoring what customers say online
The company has started using a tool called Sentiment Search to track customer feedback and satisfaction across review sites and its own customer comments.
Fuller’s said the system delivers qualitative feedback that helps it prioritise changes, telling the business “what people like and why”.
Its marketing targets customers with what it calls beautifully crafted emails and social posts promoting Sunday roasts, Summer Spritzes and Six Nations rugby, among other events.
The premium strategy extends to its properties. Fuller’s invested £32.2 million across its estate during the year, including 14 major refurbishment schemes.
One of these, The Wellington in Waterloo, saw all 26 hotel rooms refreshed alongside a revamp of the pub itself, including the famous mural depicting the Battle of Waterloo above the bar. Revenue at the site has risen 22% since reopening.
The company also switched suppliers during the year to sharpen its offer, moving to Coca-Cola, introducing a new spirits range and changing its coffee supplier to illy.
Executive chairman Simon Emeny said the focus on premium customers has translated into financial success.
“Operationally we have led the market once again, with sales, volume and margin growth as we work collectively as a team to deliver outstanding experiences in our pubs and hotels,” he said.
Fuller’s said trading momentum has continued into the new financial year, with like-for-like sales up 4.4% in the first 10 weeks, and reported strong advance bookings for this summer’s World Cup alongside rising demand for staycations, particularly in the Cotswolds.
