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Pub owner Marston's said its sales had been hurt by the fast-spreading Omicron coronavirus variant.
Like-for-like sales for the 16-week period to 12 January were down 3.9% compared to the same period in the 2019 financial year, the company said in a trading update. Total sales fell 3.6%.
'From a geographic perspective, the group's pubs in Wales and Scotland were more significantly impacted than those in England by the tighter restrictions that were enforced during the period,' Marston's said.
'Costs remain in line with the guidance provided at the preliminary results in November,' it added.
Chief executive Andrew Andrea said the company remained confident that that strong trading momentum that it was experiencing prior to Omicron's hit to consumer demand would resume.
'We welcome the various plans underway to gradually ease trading restrictions in Scotland and Wales,' he said.
'These, together with the reduction in the required self-isolation period and anticipation of an imminent end to the work from home directive, should enable some semblance of normalised trading patterns to return.'
'Indeed, there is growing evidence over the most recent of weeks of the New Year that consumer confidence is rebuilding, and guests are returning to our pubs in greater numbers, which is encouraging.'
'Importantly, Marston's has a well invested, predominantly community pub estate which is well placed to benefit from the pent-up consumer demand which we are confident remains.'