Marston's, which has over 1,500 pubs and bars across Britain, has its business characterised by local community pubs, with only less than 10% of its estate located in city centres.

The sector's hopes of robust sales in the first year-end holidays in three years devoid of restrictions were jolted by nationwide rail strikes, which curbed customer visits at city-based firms.

Marston's, however, rode on the strength of its local community pubs, logging in 4.5% like-for-like sales growth for the 16 weeks to Jan. 21, compared with the corresponding period in the pre-pandemic 2020 fiscal.

For the five key festive days, including Christmas Day and New Year's Day, like-for-like sales climbed 12.9% versus the holiday period three years ago.

Meanwhile, City Pub Group -- the owner and operator of 44 pubs across Southern England and Wales -- said on Tuesday its fourth-quarter like-for-like sales growth was 7.8% compared with 2019, and that its performance would have been even better had it not been for the rail strikes.

Fuller Smith & Turner on Monday warned that it expected annual earnings to be below market expectations after the train strikes dented its holiday sales.

(Reporting by Aby Jose Koilparambil in Bengaluru; Editing by Dhanya Ann Thoppil and Uttaresh.V)