West Midlands brewing giant Marston's cuts pub hours to save on energy

Many of its pubs will call time at 10pm on some nights and its kitchens will also close earlier.

The Wolverhampton-based business has 1,500 pubs across the country, including hundreds in its core area of the West Midlands, Staffordshire and Shropshire.

It follows the decision of Birmingham's M&B to also close at 10pm at its pubs, which include the popular Sizzling chain.

Both have decided to take the measure as January is a quiet trading month. It is believed the early closure of pubs could extend beyond January and into the spring if necessary.

Marston's managed house pubs will close at 10pm throughout January from Sunday to Wednesday. Town centre bars may vary slightly and partnership pubs – franchise, tenanted and leased – can use this as guidance to suit their individual businesses.

Pubs will open Sunday to Wednesday from 11am to 10pm, closing an hour early. Food will be served until 8pm. More normal opening hours will be retained from Thursday to Saturday.

A spokesman for Marston's said: "As we enter the quieter month of January, we’ve adjusted our operating hours a little.

"This gives our teams a well-earned rest and allows us to be efficient with energy usage during a traditionally quiet time in pubs. We still have our full menu available with special offers coming during the month. Our partnership pubs can use this guidance to their discretion.”

Marston's will be giving a trading update, covering the busy Christmas and New Year period, on January 24.

It is likely to reveal the impact of rising energy costs, which has led to the early weekday closures. The pubs chain has also been experiencing difficulties in recruiting new managers and staff.

Food Minister Mark Spencer is to meet MPs on a key parliamentary group this month to discuss how the Government can help the food and drink sector through the energy crisis.

He will attend the meeting of the food and drink supply chain all-party parliamentary group on January 18.

The APPG has asked food and drink businesses to provide it with information on how rocketing energy costs have impacted their trade ahead of the meeting.

MP Sharon Hodgson, who is interim chairman of the group, said: “Spiralling energy prices are having a major impact on food and drink businesses, intensifying the cost of doing business and driving food price inflation to worrying levels.

“This is why we have invited the food minister Mark Spencer to give evidence to the APPG so he can outline the Government’s plan to support this vital sector after the initial scheme ends in March, and to set out how we can build a stronger, more resilient supply chain in the future.”

The APPG has said previously that it is worried that when the current measures of energy support end in March it could result in redundancies, business closures and a “sharp decline in investment”.

The APPG was established last year and panellists at its first inquiry session in October included James Lowman, chief executive at the Association of Convenience Stores, and James Bielby, chief executive of Federation of Wholesale Distributors.

Marston's is in the midst of transferring its staff to the company's new headquarters at St John's House in the city centre.

It previously shared Marston's House in Chapel Ash with the Carlsberg Marston's brewing operation.