Mitchells posts resilient performance in UK

Pubs and restaurants firm Mitchells & Butlers today said buoyant food sales were helping the group weather tougher trading conditions this year.

The Harvester and Toby Carvery owner – which serves around 110 million meals a year – saw a 4.8% increase in like-for-like food sales in the 27 weeks to April 5.

This offset lower beer sales and kept Birmingham-based M&B’s overall sales in positive territory – up 0.6% over the period.

The company, facing the twin challenges of smoking bans and a consumer slowdown, has become a takeover target after racking up huge losses on an abandoned property deal last year.

But M&B hailed a “resilient” sales performance and added: “This has been achieved amidst challenging trading conditions for beer sales but increased eating out demand in pubs following the smoking ban.”