BREWERY group Jennings Brothers appointed former Pubmaster boss John Sands as a non-executive director at its annual meeting yesterday.

The brewery, which has 36 per cent of its pubs in the North-East, said the appointment would come into effect on September 1.

The North-East businessman was executive chairman of Pubmaster, based in Hartlepool, until earlier this year when the group, which had more than 3,100 leased and tenanted pubs, was bought for more than £1.1bn by rival Punch Taverns.

Last night, Mr Sands said: "I am delighted to be joining the Jennings board at this time.

"Jennings is a good business and its strategy is working well. The company has a solid platform for further growth."

He is also a director of Invesco English and International Trust plc.

Jennings also told shareholders yesterday it had boosted turnover last year by ten per cent.

Jennings said it had also acquired four pubs in the first half, bringing the total number to 130.

More than 40 per cent of Jennings' pubs are in its home county of Cumbria, with 23 per cent in other parts of the North-West, and 35 per cent in the North-East and Yorkshire. The region is currently an expansion target for the 170-year-old business.