The Shepherd Neame AGM was held in Faversham on 09 December 2021. Chris Excell and Ian Brindley attended on behalf of the committee, and several other club members attended as shareholders in their own right. There were around 100 shareholders present in total.
A number of presentations were delivered by members of the board who did a good job in providing updates on recent trading and an explanation of the impact of changes in accounting standards, using language that was easy to follow.
The Chairman reported that the company was in a strong financial position thanks to strict financial controls and a reduction in capital expenditure. Two hotels that relied mainly upon business led bookings have been sold, whilst those that benefit from staycation business are doing very well. The London pubs business has bounced back faster than expected and most are open for business as usual.
After the presentations, there were a number of questions that were answered by the board.
Following the meeting, a buffet lunch was provided together with an opportunity to sample some of the company’s ales and to meet informally with the board. Overall, we would consider the company’s performance to be satisfactory, especially in the circumstances.
Ian Brindley and Chris Excell – CMIC Committee Members