Chairman's Statement

Whitbread PLC
20 June 2000

                          Whitbread Current Trading                           

In his speech to Whitbread's Annual General Meeting today, Sir Michael Angus,
Chairman, said:-

'In the new financial year, sales for the first three months exceeded those
for the same period last year, helped by the contributions of Racquets and
Healthtrack, and Swallow.   Except for Other Drinks, like-for-like sales for
all divisions  were positive for the quarter.

'As expected, profit performance also started well in the first quarter
although the sale of the Whitbread Beer Company in May will impact upon total
group profit.'


Please contact:-

David Reed       020 7 615 1324