THE hot weather has spelt good news for brewers, pubs and supermarkets selling beer.

Shepherd Neame has seen a 25 per cent increase in sales in its managed pubs during the hot spell.

Pubs with gardens or in waterside locations have been particularly successful in attracting more customers and lager has proved significantly more popular than bitter.

Shepherd Neame vice chairman Stuart Neame said: "For every degree fahrenheit rise in temperature we estimate there is an extra one per cent increase in sales."