Member Article

Marstons experience festive growth

Pub retailer Marstons PLC say Christmas and New Year trading was encouraging.

Despite the impact of snow in the week ended January 19, like-for-like sales for the 16 weeks prior were 1.2% ahead of last year.

The festive period yielded 5.8% growth and 10% on Christmas Day. Profits grew across tenanted and franchised pubs.

Marstons said their franchise model, which now operates around 550 pubs, continued to show success.

Ralph Findlay, Chief Executive Officer, said: “The results for the year to date are further evidence that our strategy is appropriate for the current environment and is generating consistent and encouraging results. We expect economic pressures to continue to constrain consumer confidence, and see no evidence that the Government recognises the damage being caused to pubs by high taxation and over-regulation.

“Nevertheless, we are confident of making further progress towards our objectives of sustainable growth, higher return on capital and reduced leverage.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .