Food sales were up 6.9pc and now account for almost a third of turnover. Young’s expanded its food offering at the start of the month when it launched a new venture called Burger Shack, selling food from a customised Airstream truck and a stall in the garden of The Windmill in Clapham. Some 2,500 burgers were sold in the first fortnight alone, and Young’s plans to open shacks in other pubs and has ordered a second Airstream.

“The idea is utilising every bit of space that we’ve got in a pub,” said Mr Goodyear. “That was [also] really the genesis of the growth of the hotels.”

Having stalled for three years, the company’s tenanted business of 80 houses returned to growth and posted a 3pc increase in like-for-like revenue. Mr Goodyear said the division had benefited from an overhaul that saw the operation re-branded as the Ram Pub Company.

Because of the small size of the tenanted business, the division will not be captured by a law change that will be introduced by next year and will end the beer tie. Shares in Young’s advanced 3.9pc to 810p.