The fine summer weather seemed to have an immediate impact on pub operator & brewer Marston's (MARS) after third-quarter like-for-like sales came in 6 per cent ahead of this time last year. Given the lousy weather last year, the comparisons will be easier than normal, but it was still an impressive performance.
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The core of this performance looks to be food sales, which rose by an underlying 3.7 per cent for the period, while the leased estate performed in line with last year. Meanwhile, the company has opened 16 new pubs in the year so far and also upped its forecast for the proceeds to be raised from pub disposals to £50m by the year. Marston's reports its preliminary results on 28 November 2013.
