F&B CONNECT

British pub company Marston’s – which has about 1,500 units in the UK – is cautiously optimistic about Christmas trading thanks to”encouraging” bookings for the period and sales above pre-pandemic level.

The pub sector has been one of the most affected by the Government anti-covid restrictions and it is currently experiencing a shortage of labour as well as rising costs for staff and utilities. For these reasons, Marston’s has announced it will not propose a dividend for 2021 – also considering the still high level of uncertainty in the hospitality sector.