Poor trading at First Leisure

FIRST LEISURE, the nightclub and bowling alley group, reported flat full- year profits and poor current trading. Profits in the year to October were pounds 33.3m after exceptionals, on pounds 34.5m the previous year. The shares fell 22.5p to 192.5p.

In the first 10 weeks of its financial year, First Leisure's nightclubs and bars division traded 7 per cent below the period last year. Family entertainment fell 2 per cent, but health and fitness sales were up 21 per cent on a comparable basis.