Marston’s shows second year of strong profit growth
Marston’s has marked its second consecutive year of strong profit growth with underlying profit before tax up 71.3% to £72.1 million. db looks into the reasons behind its recent success.
The rise, which was “driven by new formats, digital innovation and cost efficiencies” was heralded for being down to 31 conversions this year, delivering average revenue uplift of 23%.
Boosted loyalty and happy tenants
Marston’s launch of new concepts including Two Door, Grandstand Locals Sport, and Woodie’s family pubs as well as stand-out events such as Hasbro Trivial Pursuit partnership, the UK’s biggest Oktoberfest celebrations, and Tom Shepherd’s limited-edition “Best Ever Pub Pie” have all boosted loyalty for the business.
Data gathered by the Pubs Code Adjudicator (PCA) in last year’s Annual Tied Tenants Survey, highlighted tenant sentiment towards, and their relationships with tied pub companies. In last year’s PCA-led survey, Marston’s was shown to have the highest overall satisfaction at 79%.
Added to this, the group’s digital transformation has accelerated, with Marston’s now offering enhanced “Order & Pay” options across all managed sites, driving 10% uplift in revenue per transaction.
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Looking ahead, Marston’s has revealed that Christmas bookings are strong this year and currently around 11% ahead of the same point last year. This has meant that the group is well-positioned for a strong festive period.
‘Significant growth in profit’
Speaking about the results, Marston’s CEO Justin Platt said: “We’ve delivered another strong year ahead of plan, executing on our strategy to be a high-margin, highly cash-generative local pub company. For the second consecutive year, we’ve delivered significant growth in profit, margin and free cash flow, underlining the strength of our market-leading pub operating model and the outstanding work of our teams.
Platt explained: “Guest satisfaction has reached record levels – a fantastic endorsement of the passion and dedication of our people and the quality and consistency they deliver every day. Our new pub formats are performing exceptionally well, clearly demonstrating the growth opportunity ahead and giving us real conviction to scale further.”
He added: “We enter 2026 with significant momentum and confidence in our ability to keep driving growth, while delivering great experiences for our guests and creating sustainable value for our shareholders.”
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