A heatwave this month has boosted British pub chain Marston's summer sales after poor weather at the start of the year had dragged on the wider beer market.
Marston's, home to the Pitcher & Piano bars, said on Thursday that like-for-like sales in destination and premium pubs was up 6 percent over the 10 weeks to July 20. Over a 42 week period sales were up 2.1 percent, driven by food sales.
This was against a weaker 2012, when the April to June period was the wettest since records began, dampening alcohol sales at Marston's and its rivals in the sector.
Analysts said the hottest day in seven years earlier this week helped lift the broader sector, with Mitchells & Butlers Plc and Fuller, Smith & Turner also reporting positive sales.
Pub and restaurant group Mitchells & Butlers, owner of the All Bar One, Harvester and O'Neills chains, said like-for-like sales rose 1.6 percent in the 14 weeks to July 20.
Smaller pub operator and brewer Fuller, Smith & Turner, which has a strong presence in London and the south-east, said like-for-like sales rose 10 percent in the 16 weeks to July 20, on the back of "several weeks of barbecue summer weather."
The results were broadly in line with analyst expectations.
The warm weather is a welcome boost for the beer industry, which has struggled in the face of poor economic conditions.
Sales in Britain fell 2.9 percent in the first three months of 2013, according to the British Beer & Pub Association's quarterly Beer Barometer in April, while trade was also buffeted by snow and cold weather in January and March.
