MASSIVE changes within leisure group Whitbread are set to mean further investment in Hampshire and new jobs in the future.

Despite a fall in sales and profits nationally, regional director Steve Websdale says there was renewed confidence in the future, with the booming leisure industry in Hamp-shire set to get more than its fair share of investment from the group.

"The south of England and Hampshire in particular is a very good market for us and it's growing strongly,'' he said.

The company is in the final stages of a transformation from brewer and pub operator to leisure group, with the imminent sale of its pub division and the sale earlier this year of its brewing arm.

He said Whitbread was now focusing on future areas of growth, a move which will see the sale of the less-profitable Caf Rouge restaurants.

"The interim figures reflect the environment and trading is in line with other major players in the industry."

Group sales slipped by 1.9 per cent to £1.77 billion, with pre-tax profits falling 5.9 per cent at £182.1 million.

"There is great change at the mom-ent but next spring should see completion of the transformation and the start of a period of consolidation,'' said Mr Websdale. "But there will be continual investment in the strong brands that we have.''

Recent investment in the South has topped the £2.8 million mark with two Brewsters Family Restaurant conversions, a 22-room extension of the Spruce Goose Travel Inn in Basing-stoke, a new 39-room Travel Inn at Rownhams, two new Costa sites in Southampton and a new Pizza Hut restaurant in Newport.