Marston’s sees customers seek value as it looks for double pick-up in summer

The company, which expects consumer sentiment to remain weak in 2012, said business was likely to pick up in June during the Euro 2012 football tournament, and the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the Queen’s coronation.

Sales at its managed pubs open more than a year rose 3.5 per cent in the 23-week period to March 10.

Sales during the period were broadly flat as strong volumes reported during the Christmas and New Year were offset by heavy snowfall last month that kept Britons from dining and drinking at pubs.

Food sales grew 3.9 per cent, while drink sales grew 3.4 per cent, said the Wolverhampton-based company.

Underlying profit from its tenanted and franchised pubs division was estimated to be three per cent higher.

Marston’s, whose rivals include Mitchells & Butlers, Greene King and JD Wetherspoon, said sales of its own-brewed beer, which includes Pedigree and Hobgoblin beer, were up two per cent.

Marston’s employs more than 12,000 people across England and Wales.

It has 284 managed and tenanted pubs in Yorkshire.

Ralph Findlay, the chief executive, said: “Our clearly defined strategy, underpinned by our continued focus on value, service and quality has ensured a resilient performance. We remain well positioned to make progress towards our key objectives of sustainable growth, improved return on capital and reduced leverage.”

Marston’s operates five breweries: Banks’s Brewery in Wolverhampton, Marston’s Brewery in Burton upon Trent, Jennings Brewery in the Lake District, Ringwood Brewery in Hampshire and Wychwood Brewery in Oxfordshire.

In January, Marston’s and Fuller’s reported strong sales growth, as the mild weather over Christmas and the New Year encouraged more people to forget their economic troubles and head to the local.

Rivals Mitchells & Butlers, Greene King and JD Wetherspoon also reported strong sales growth over Christmas and New Year, which suggested people were finding solace at the pub during times of economic uncertainty.

In a January trading update, Fuller’s said it hoped to receive a boost from the Olympics and Diamond Jubilee.