Jurys' performance suffers as AGM reports poor trading in star hotels

TRADING has failed to pick up at Jurys Doyle's four and five-star hotels in Ireland so far this year, causing overall performance to suffer, the group warned yesterday.

But signs from its British and American operations were encouraging, shareholders at its annual general meeting were told. The group also said its Jurys Inn division, which operates three star "budget plus" inns in Britain and Ireland, was performing well.

Chairman Richard Hooper said he remained "cautiously optimistic" about the outlook for 2004, echoing comments made by chief executive Pat McCann when the group released its annual results in February. Mr Hooper said the group was experiencing "good business recovery" in many of its market segments and that the new Jurys Inns in Leeds and Chelsea had delivered encouraging early performances.