Three of the establishments in the Charlie Chawke pub empire had a bumper year in 2016.

Three of the best-performing pubs in the Charlie Chawke pub group last year toasted combined profits of over €420,000.

One of the country’s best known publicans said yesterday he can’t afford to retire and that his Orchard Inn pub in south Dublin — bought for a record €22m nine years ago — is probably worth half of that today.