Marston's profits rise (From The Oxford Times)
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Marston's profits rise
3:53pm Thursday 17th May 2012 in Business
Bosses at Marston’s, which owns the Hobgoblin brewery in Witney, have toasted a major hike in the company’s fortunes.
Profit before tax was up 14.7 per cent to £33.5m for the six months to March 31.
The business, which also owns the Seacourt Bridge in Botley, the Bell and Compass in Oxford and the Hanwell Arms in Banbury, said like-for-like sales in its pubs were 3.6 per cent higher in the six months to March 31, including a 3.9 per cent rise for food. Group revenue was up 7.6 per cent to £342.1m.
Chief executive Ralph Findlay said: "We have delivered a good performance in the first half of the year against a weak consumer backdrop."
