Weather boost for Marston's

4th Aug 2010 08:27

Good weather rather than the World Cup is credited for a recent uptick at pub group and brewer Marston's."We remain on track to meet our expectations for the financial year and continue to see improving trends in each of our trading divisions. Recent trading has been encouraging, benefiting from good weather rather than from the World Cup," it said.Like-for-like, Marston's Inns and Taverns, the managed pubs division, increased sales by 1.7% in the 43 weeks to end July. Food sales grew 2.5% and drinks by 1.3%. In the last 11 weeks, sales rose by 2.7% with margins also higher. The tenanted business, Marston's Pub Company, saw like-for-like profits fall 4%, a slight improvement on the 4.5% decline reported in the results in May. Brewing arm, Marston's Beer Company saw premium ale volumes increase by 3% in the period in a market that overall declined by 6%.