Marston's to build another 25 new pubs

Marston's is to build another 25 pubs in an expansion drive set to create 1,000 jobs over the next year.

The brewer and pub chain, which employs 12,000 people and has an estate of 2,150 pubs under brands including Pitcher & Piano and Tavern Table, has been buoyed by "impressive" sales and profits growth over the past financial year. Its chief executive, Ralph Findlay, said Marston's strategy of opening purpose-built pubs would continue, after the company opened 19 pubs in the past year.

The company reported a 9.4 per cent rise in annual underlying profits to £80.4m in the year, after also reporting a strong demand for its real ales including Pedigree and Bank's.