Marston’s: Euros boost for pub chain after Carlsberg deal

England’s success at the Euros helped boost sales at one of the UK’s largest pub chains, weeks after the company sold its brewing business to Carlsberg.

Marston’s, which operates nearly 1,500 pubs across the country, saw year to date like for like sales increase by 5.2 per cent and total sales up by 6.2 per cent.

The pubs’ success, the company said, was in large part down to the “considerable uplift” it got from Euro 2024, with like for like sales in the week of the semi final and final specifically up eight per cent on the same week last year.

And it came despite this summer’s wet, gloomy weather, which can tend to weigh on sales at pubs and bars.

Justin Platt, CEO of Marston’s, said: “The continued positive trading momentum carried through from H1 has been encouraging. This is a testament to the focus and energy of our team, who are dedicated to giving our guests the very best pub experiences.”

The update follows the news from earlier this month that Marston’s sold its part of a brewing company to Carlsberg in a deal worth north of £200m.

The sale of its 40 per cent stake in Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC), which brews household name beers like Hobgoblin and Brooklyn Lager, signalled the end of the firm’s nearly 200 years of brewing heritage at a site in Wolverhampton.

The FTSE 250 constituent sold the firm in order to focus “entirely on pubs” and create a “stronger balance sheet”.

The move was seen as as vote of confidence in the UK hospitality sector, which has been plagued by a perfect storm of rising ingredient costs, labour costs and rents.

Platt said of the sale: “The disposal of our 40% stake in CMBC marks a pivotal step for Marston’s, allowing us to become a pure play hospitality business. I look forward to delivering on the opportunities a focused pub business will provide.”