PUB and brewing firm Marston's has served up a 10 per cent hike in underlying profits to £91.5m.

The Hobgoblin brewer highlighted its new-build programme as its key driver of growth, revealing that it has added 25 pubs to its overall 1,600 strong estate in its current year.

Marston's, which opened new-build pubs in Ravenscraig, Stirling and Balloch in its most recent financial year, saw revenue grow by seven per cent to £845.5m, according to preliminary results for the 52 weeks ended October 3. Shares in Marston’s were up nearly three per cent in morning trading.