Marston's buoyed by food demand

UK pub and brewing group Marston’s today toasted a rise in sales after its increased focus on food attracted more families to its estate.

Marston’s said it had made excellent progress in developing its food offer, which now represents 33% of retail sales, helping it to grow like-for-like sales by 7% at its inns and taverns division in the six months to March 31.

Underlying profits were £41.6m (€61.5m), up from £41m (€60.6m) a year earlier.

The group added that the growth in food and the subsequent increase in the appeal of its pubs to women and children would stand it in good stead for the forthcoming smoking ban in England on July 1. It said trading at its 182 Welsh pubs had been “encouraging” since the introduction of the ban there in April.

The company, which changed its name from Wolverhampton & Dudley last year, also ruled out converting to tax-efficient real estate investment trust status after a review of its estate. It blamed the cost of moving to the REIT structure.