Sunshine proves a boost for Marston’s as sales rise underpins expansion

● Brewer that recently bought Mcewan’s celebrates sales rise of 1.3% on last year

Warm summer weather has put a trading tailwind behind fast-growing pubs and brewing group Marston’s, which in May swooped for a rival brewer that it claimed would build a platform to accelerate its Scottish expansion.

Marston’s, which owns the Pitcher & Piano chain as well as about 15 pub restaurants in Scotland including Braehead’s Steam Wheeler, said in an update yesterday that likefor-like sales at its premium pubs arm rose 1.3 per cent in the 42 weeks to 22 July.

Same-floorspace sales were up 0.6 per cent in the past three months. Marston’s Taverns division was the star turn, with like-for-like sales 1.9 per cent ahead of last year, and growth of 2.4 per cent in the final 12 weeks of the period.

In brewing, beer volumes frothed up 4 per cent com- pared with last year, reflecting the benefit of the £55 million acquisition of the Bedford-based Charles Wells brewing business, including the famous Scottish ale brand Mcewan’s.

The Mcewan’s brand passed to Heineken in 2008 after its purchase of Scottish & Newcastle’s British operations, and the Dutch brewer sold the brand on to Charles Wells in 2011, brewing it under licence for the new owners for a short time at Edinburgh’s Caledonian brewery before it was all transferred down to Bedford. Mcewan’s is best known for 80/-, a heavy beer, and Export, an India pale ale.

Marston’s chief executive Ralph Findlay has said he is looking to expand in Scotland, and that Mcewan’s “presents a platform” for such growth. Further pub openings are planned in Peterhead and Inverness later this year.

The company said yesterday that the integration of the Charles Wells brewing arm was going as planned. “We remain encouraged by our continued market outperformance and focused on delivering sustainable growth and maximising return on capital in an evolving market place,” Findlay said.

“The Charles Wells brewing and beer business is bedding in well, further underpinning our leadership in the UK ale market. We are on track to complete our new-build and lodge expansion plans. We remain confident of delivering further profitable progress for the full financial year.”

The Charles Wells acquisition has increased the company’s ale market share, bringing other brands like Young’s and Bombardier under the same roof as Marston’s labels including Hobgoblin.

Findlay said the company would continue its strategic mix of “food-led destination and wet-led community pubs”.