Slug & Lettuce owner SFI showed the World Cup boosted sales as customers flocked to its pubs to watch key matches.

The group, which has 186 pubs in total - also including Litten Tree and Bar Med outlets - said it benefited strongly from the football competition.

Although not all its pubs and bars were able or equipped to exploit the opportunity, most sites were kept busy by the event.

Chief executive Andrew Latham said: "The World Cup has been very positive for us. The Golden Jubilee was also a tremendous success - together generating a generally euphoric climate."

He said trading had also benefited from a promotion with radio station Capital Radio and Budweiser, in which Capital DJ Chris Tarrant broadcast two shows from an SFI site to tie in with the World Cup.

Overall, like-for-like sales, which strip out the effect of new pub openings, rose 5.6 per cent in the seven weeks from the beginning of June.

Mr Latham added the gains ensured a strong start to the year.

The rise comes on top of a 22 per cent increase in pre-tax profits for the year to May 31, which increased to £20 million.

Turnover jumped 25 per cent to £144.1 million, with like-for-like sales rising 4.2 per cent.

Mr Latham said the rise was partly due to growth of the group, which opened 46 pubs and bars during the year, and also good sales at its pubs.

Sales benefited from the acquisition of 28 sites in November, which SFI has been converting to its own brands.

The acquisition meant the firm boosted its number of pubs substantially during the year.

However, Mr Latham said new openings would slow this year to a planned 12 new pubs as the group moved to strengthen its balance sheet and reduce borrowing.

Shares in the group rose two per cent to 189p following the announcement. Shareholders will be paid a total dividend of 2.87p, up from 2.53p last time.