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RNS Number : 8969U Hostmore PLC 08 December 2021 NOT FOR RELEASE , PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART , DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY , IN OR INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION . Hostmore plc Business update : progress on landlord concession agreements , current trading and update on new site acquisitions 8 December 2021 Hostmore plc , the hospitality business focused on American - themed casual dining brand , ' Fridays ' , and the cocktail - led bar and restaurant brand , ' 63rd + 1st ' , is pleased to announce an update on its discussions with landlords , on its current trading in the build - up to Christmas and on new site acquisitions . This is Hostmore's first update since it listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange on 2 November 2021 . Current trading and costs mitigation update We are pleased to report that , for the months of October and November 2021 , trading was ahead of the comparable EBITDA achieved in the 2019 financial year . The net booking rate for the Christmas season remains encouraging , with the week up to 5 December 2021 experiencing a net booking rate which was similar to the previous two trading weeks despite the onset of the new coronavirus strain and some inevitable cancellations . At Fridays , since the launch of the themed promotion on 16 November 2021 , we have recorded a weekly increase in overall reservations which has resulted in a total , as at 5 December 2021 , of c . 205k bookings representing c . 676k dining covers for the period to 26 December 2021 . The Group has been able to navigate the well documented recruitment challenges faced by the hospitality sector . All the Group's restaurants have been actively trading , with only a small number having their operating hours reduced during the traditionally quieter times of the week . Senior personnel vacancies are at their lowest level since the reopening of indoor dining in May 2021 . We pro - actively sought to mitigate both the present and future utilities cost inflation risk by contracting long term price hedges on both the Group's gas and electric supplies in Q3 of 2020. Using the 2019 financial year volumes as the basis for this decision , the Group has hedged : I 100 % of its gas until December 2023 ; 100 % of its electricity until March 2022 ; and then 50 % of its electricity until March 2023 ; and then