All Bar One enjoys sales surge

British pub group All Bar One owner Mitchells & Butlers offered hope to the under-pressure pubs sector today with news of a recent sales surge.

The group, which also owns the Irish-themed O’Neills chain and the Harvester chain said like-for-like sales rose by 4.8% in the 32 weeks to May 7, including a 5.1% hike in the last eight weeks of the period.

Mitchells said it gained substantial market share, with particularly strong demand for food helping first half pre-tax profits rise 4.9% to £86m (€125m).