Annual profits of the Whitbread beer and leisure group rose 7 per cent to £391 million sterling (€677 million) in the year to March 31st on turnover up 7.5 per cent at £3.5 billion (€6 billion).
Sales of Murphys Irish Stout in Britain were "generally flat" in common with the beer sector as a whole where sales fell 0.3 per cent.
David Lloyd Leisure, the group's sports, health and fitness business, moved into the Irish market with the purchase of the Riverside Racquet Fitness Club in Dublin in February. Refurbishment is expected to cost around £4.5 million.
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