Marston's cautious after tough Christmas

UK pubs company Marston’s reported slower sales today as the Pedigree brewer became the latest chain to paint a gloomy picture on festive trading.

The group said like-for-like sales at its managed pubs rose 1% in the 16 weeks to January 19, with the last eight weeks of the period seeing 0.1% growth.

Food sales propped up the division with a rise of 9.5% on a year earlier, offsetting declines in higher-margin drinks and machine revenues.

Marston’s said the smoking ban, weaker consumer confidence and cost pressures meant it also viewed 2008 trading with caution – echoing recent comments from rival operators such as Punch Taverns and JD Wetherspoon.

The company’s pub estate totals 2,275 pubs – 1,723 tenancies within Marston’s Pub Company and 552 directly managed by Marston’s Inns & Taverns. It operates four breweries – Banks’s Brewery in Wolverhampton, Marston’s Brewery at Burton-on-Trent, Jennings Brewery at Cockermouth in the Lake District and Ringwood brewery in Hampshire.