Marston's profits hit by summer floods

UK pub and brewing firm Marston’s today reported a 3% dip in annual profits, but said “robust” sales were driving results in the new financial year.

The Pedigree brewer posted underlying pre-tax profits of £98m (€137m) in the year to the end of September, down from £101.5m (€142m) after forking out £2m (€2.8m) in repair bills from the summer floods.

Marston’s – formerly Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries – reported like-for-like sales up 4.6% in the year, against a “challenging background” of severe flooding and the introduction of the English smoking ban.