Boss of pubs giant Young’s praises drinkers after terror attack in Borough

The chief executive of pubs giant Young’s on Tuesday praised defiant Londoners who have continued to prop up the bar at its Borough boozer which was rocked by a terror attack last month.

Patrick Dardis was speaking five weeks after the horrific London Bridge attack which killed eight people. His firm’s Wheatsheaf pub was one of the venues at the centre of the atrocity.

Dardis said: “I have been astounded and impressed by the number of people that have flocked to the Wheatsheaf [since then].”

The pubs boss added: “Londoners have demonstrated a show of defiance and shown this awful attack won’t stop people going out.”

Young’s revealed sales at pubs open for more than a year increased 8.6% in the 13 weeks to June 30.

Trading was helped by Britain’s recent heatwave and demand for Pimm’s, rosé and cider.

However, chairman Stephen Goodyear warned “the economic environment is becoming more challenging”. He noted pressures from the apprenticeship levy and political uncertainty.

Shares in the firm fell 16.5p to 1286p.