E-Malt.com News article: 3184

UK: Like-for-like sales at the managed pubs of brewer Greene King rose 2.6 % in the first three months of its financial year, broadly in line with last year's performance. The figure marked a slowing in July, however, after sales surged 4.4 percent in the first 8 weeks of the period when drinkers flocked to its Pub Company managed pubs to watch England's run to the quarter finals of Euro 2004 in Portugal, Reuters posted on September 3.

The Suffolk firm GNK.L , which runs over 2,000 pubs largely in southern England, reported in July that like-for-like sales for the year to May 2 rose 2.7 percent. It said sales at its leased pubs -- the Pub Partners division -- edged up 1 percent.

The 204-year old firm, which brews Greene King IPA, Abbot Ale and Old Speckled Hen, said total beer sales by volume dropped 1 percent, although sales of Greene King IPA rose 3 percent. The firm said the figures were good when compared to the same summer period in 2003, though analysts say poor weather during August could dampen last month's sales figures. The brewer, which bought 432 neighbourhood pubs from privately owned Laurel in July, reported a 10 percent rise in full-year pre-tax profits to 82.6 million pounds that same month.


06 September, 2004