London Pride brewer Fuller, Smith & Turner has reported a sharp rise in profit after its purchase of rival beer and pub company Gales last year.
Pre-tax profit rose 31% to £10.9m in the six months to 30 September.
The £91.8m purchase of Hampshire's Gales Brewery added 111 extra pubs to Fuller's existing 251 and helped profit at Fuller's Inns jump 65%.
The brewing side of the business also benefited, with beer sales 22% higher and profit up 14% at £4.2m.
"The Gales trading pattern provides a summer balance to our previously winter-weighted business and we anticipate achieving further good results from the combined estate in the second half of the year," said chairman Anthony Fuller.
Stripping out the impact of the Gales acquisition, the brewer said that sales in its pre-existing pubs had risen by 4.3% during the period.
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