What the papers say - August 8, 2007

Scottish & Newcastle, Britain's biggest brewer, admitted yesterday that "stinking weather" in June and July had meant that it would struggle to meet its full-year trading targets - The Times ​

Greene King, the brewer and pub operator, said that it plans to double the number of Loch Fyne Restaurants after confirming the acquisition of the 36-strong seafood chain for £68.1 million - The Times​

Greene King, the Suffolk brewer famous for its IPA pale ale, has paid £68m to take over seafood restaurant chain Loch Fyne, as it looks for growth opportunities to offset the impact of the smoking ban - The Independent​

Beer sales were reduced to a comparative trickle for Britain's largest brewer, Scottish & Newcastle, as large parts of the UK and western Europe were overwhelmed by unseasonal downpours and flooding in June and July - The Guardian​

Beer drinkers will have to swallow a rise of as much as 10p per pint as producers face a dramatic increase in costs. Some of the biggest-selling brews including Foster's, John Smith's, Kronenbourg, San Miguel and Strongbow will go up in the next few months - Daily Mirror ​

A pay dispute with workers has taken the fizz out of a £191million profit for the maker of John Smith's and Foster's. Some 300 staff at Scottish and Newcastle's brewery in Berkshire, which also makes Kronenbourg and Newcastle Brown Ale, have voted to strike in a row over pay and pensions - Daily Mirror​

Severn Trent Water has announced that £3.5 million is to be given to areas devastated during the recent flooding - Western Mail​