Young’s has announced its intention to apply to the Financial Conduct Authority for its shares to trade on the main market of the London Stock Exchange.

The pub brand, which operates in London and the South of England, said it had grown considerably both in size and performance in recent years.

Young’s stated that this was evidenced in its Christmas and Q3 trading update, which was provided alongside the intention announcement.

In the three weeks to 5 January, the pub operator’s like-for-like sales increased by 11.2% year-on-year, while on key dates, including Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day, this figure increased by 12.3%.

Furthermore, its former City Pub estate delivered 26% year-on-year growth over Christmas and Boxing Day, reflecting the impact of its alignment with the wider Young’s proposition since acquisition.

Its total managed revenue for the 14 weeks to 5 January increased by 5.6%. The firm stated that this performance is a "further demonstration" of its continued investment in its premium and differentiated estate.

On its intention to move to the main market, Young’s said its strategy of operating premium, individual and differentiated pubs was delivering "robust top-line growth", supported by ongoing investment and a disciplined approach to capital allocation.

The company said it intends for its admission to occur in the second quarter of 2026 and will provide a further update on the timeline and process in due course.

Following the announcement, shares in Young’s increased by 3.5%.

Chief executive officer at Young’s, Simon Dodd, said the pub operator is "delighted with the outstanding trading performance".

He concluded: "Young's remains well-positioned to withstand the well-publicised headwinds facing our sector. We continue to invest in and innovate across our premium estate. We are focused on controlling the controllable and continuing to give our customers a great reason to come to our pubs.

"Over the last two decades, AIM has provided a highly supportive environment for Young's, helping us to realise our growth ambitions and secure vital funding, especially during the difficult period of the pandemic. We are very proud of the growth we have achieved and believe a move to the main market is a natural and exciting next step for Young's, and one that will open the door to a wider group of investors."

---