Fuller Smith & Turner Share News (FSTA)

LONDON, July 25 (Reuters) - A heatwave this month hasboosted British pub chain Marston's summer sales after poorweather at the start of the year had dragged on the wider beermarket.

Marston's, home to the Pitcher & Piano bars, saidon Thursday that like-for-like sales in destination and premiumpubs was up 6 percent over the 10 weeks to July 20. Over a 42week period sales were up 2.1 percent, driven by food sales.

This was against a weaker 2012, when the April to Juneperiod was the wettest since records began, dampening alcoholsales at Marston's and its rivals in the sector.

Analysts said the hottest day in seven years earlier thisweek helped lift the broader sector, with Mitchells & ButlersPlc and Fuller, Smith & Turner also reportingpositive sales.

Pub and restaurant group Mitchells & Butlers, owner of theAll Bar One, Harvester and O'Neills chains, said like-for-likesales rose 1.6 percent in the 14 weeks to July 20.

Smaller pub operator and brewer Fuller, Smith & Turner,which has a strong presence in London and the south-east, saidlike-for-like sales rose 10 percent in the 16 weeks to July 20,on the back of "several weeks of barbecue summer weather."

The results were broadly in line with analyst expectations.

The warm weather is a welcome boost for the beer industry,which has struggled in the face of poor economic conditions.

Sales in Britain fell 2.9 percent in the first three monthsof 2013, according to the British Beer & Pub Association'squarterly Beer Barometer in April, while trade was also buffetedby snow and cold weather in January and March.