Fuller's plans promotion blitz to attract punters

Fuller Smith & Turner is planning a series of key initiatives to entice customers to visit its pubs in the 'down' months of January and February.

As the London brewer announced its interim results this morning, Simon Emeny, managing director of the group's pubs division, said Fuller's would be following up a recent 'Action Week' initiative with more activity after Christmas.

Meanwhile, in the run up to festivities, he warned that pubs could be badly hit as the weather turns.

"Smokers have already been put to the test over the wet summer," he said, "but the real challenge starts now, with the recent drop in temperature."

Emeny said things had got "noticeably bad" for some of the group's pubs in recent weeks as the weather combined with the "myriad of issues for the consumer", such as fears over interest rate rises.

"There's been a squeeze on most retail businesses recently and we have to make sure we create something special for people to come out to.

"We always compete on quality, and this is a strategy that's worked, so we're planning some more things for the post-Christmas period," he added.

Fuller's turnover for the six months to September 29 2007 rose three per cent to £93.3m, with adjusted pre-tax profits of £12.1m, up 11 per cent.

The brewer's pub arm, Fuller's Inns, saw operating profits rise four per cent to £13.3m, on turnover up one per cent to £73.5m. Managed pubs saw operating profits up four per cent and turnover up five.

Tenanted pubs' turnover rose six per cent, with operating profits up nine per cent. Average turnover per pub grew 4.5 per cent, the group said.

Turnover at the group's beer company rose four per cent to £30.3m, with operating profits up two per cent £3.5m.

Adjusted earnings per share rose 13 per cent to 15.18p, while the interim dividend grew eight per cent to 2.8p.