Brewers' cheer

WOLVERHAMPTON & Dudley Breweries today said an upbeat Easter had helped it boost half-year profits by 13.6 per cent.

Wolves said trading over the early Easter bank holiday weekend and since April had been good and in line with expectations.

It said underlying pre-tax profits came in at £36m, while profits after goodwill and exceptionals were 12.8 per cent ahead at £32.6m.

The brewer and pub operator said it was facing a slowdown in consumer spending and significant regulatory challenges as the rest of the industry.

Car costs rise

THE expense of owning and running a car has risen by nearly twice the rate of inflation during the last year, the AA Motoring Trust said today. The costs for a petrol-engine car rose by 6 per cent in 2004/05, while costs for diesel cars went up 5.3 per cent, the trust said.

All Bar One

ALL Bar One owner Mitchells & Butlers offered hope to the under-pressure pubs sector today with news of a recent sales surge.The group, which owns O'Neills and Harvester, said like-for-like sales rose by 4.8 per cent including a 5.1 per cent hike in the last eight of the 32 weeks to Saturday, May 7.

Corner shops

INDEPENDENT corner shops are in decline even though consumers are spending more locally, according to a new report.

Their number dropped by seven per cent last year while their share of sales decreased by five per cent.

, the food and grocery think tank IGD said.