Poor weather not smoking ban affects Fuller's

London brewer and pub operator Fuller, Smith & Turner believes poor summer weather, not the smoking ban, has had a "far greater" impact on trading during the last three months.

Fuller's said that like-for-like sales in its managed and tenanted pubs for the 16 weeks ending 21 July were 4.3% ahead of last year.

Fuller's chairman Anthony Fuller said: "The first quarter has seen a good start to the year, in line with our expectations. The smoking ban came into effect on 1 July 2007, but it is still too early to identify its effect on sales."

Fuller retires today as chairman. He will remain with the family business as non-executive director and has agreed to become President.

Michael Turner, chief executive since July 2002, will take over as executive chairman.

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By Christopher Walton

E-mail your comments to Christopher Walton](mailto:Christopher.Walton@rbi.co.uk?subject=Fuller's results hit by weather) here.

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