UK pubs group hit by cost of bail-outs

The UK’s second biggest pubs group today said the cost of helping out landlords struggling in tougher trading conditions was putting profits under pressure.

Enterprise Inns, which has around 7,500 tenanted pubs, expects to spend in the region of £8m (€10m) this year aiding licensees dealing with the impact of the smoking ban, a consumer spending squeeze and rising costs.