The owner of pub chains including Chef & Brewer and Fayre & Square today revealed how the recent autumn heatwave had given a boost to sales.

Spirit Pub Company said like-for-like sales from its managed estate were up 4.8% in the eight weeks since the middle of August, with drinks sales matching the 5% growth seen in food sales over the period.

The group, which has around 1,350 pubs, said it outperformed the market in the two months but that it expected no respite from tough trading conditions and pressure on costs over the rest of the financial year.

In the year to August 20, Spirit said underlying profits rose 17% to £48m after like-for-like sales at its managed pubs lifted 5.2%.

Chief executive Ian Dyson, who today announced he will leave the business at the end of the year, said Spirit had made "great progress".

Mr Dyson joined Punch Taverns in September last year before taking charge of its Spirit division following its demerger from Punch in the summer.

The former Marks & Spencer finance director will be replaced by deputy chief executive and former Whitbread executive Mike Tye.