Upper Crust owner’s £ 1.3bn hit

UPPER CRUST and Caffe Ritazza owner SSP has said nearly twothirds of its sites still remain closed as it revealed a sales hit of around £ 1.3billion due to the pandemic.

The group said it has reopened around 1,100 outlets since lockdown, which decimated trading at its food and drinks sites in airports and railway stations as passenger numbers plunged. SSP said sales fell by around 86 per cent in its second half to September 30, with revenues down about £ 1.3billion, while operating losses will be around £ 180million to £ 250million.