A warm autumn didn’t spook pubs group Marston’s after its Hobgoblin beer sales soared during Halloween, it revealed today.
The Brakspear and Marston’s Pedigree brewer reported sales up more than 2% in the seven weeks to last Saturday and said its Hobgoblin brew was up 13% on last year as it is the “most successful Halloween beer”.
Chief executive Ralph Findlay said he expected Christmas to be strong with bookings up on last year and said he will continue to focus on opening franchised pub restaurants and selling its traditional tenanted pubs.
It reported a 3.6% fall in full-year profit to £83 million due to a shorter trading period and the disposal of pubs. Underlying sales grew 1% to £787.6 million.
Findlay added: “There are some signs of modest economic improvement, with the emergence of real wage growth and resilience within the economic regions outside London.”
It plans to open another 25 pub restaurants in 2015 and remains on track to dispose of 200 pubs.
