Customers at JD Wetherspoon pubs have been drinking up over the last year and boosting sales at the group.

Sales for the year to July 30 leapt 37 per cent to £369.6 million, while like-for-like sales, stripping out the effect of new pub openings, bubbled up 12 per cent.

And sales since the year end had brewed up five per cent - following a 19 per cent rise last year - the group said, helped by "excellent weather" in August.

Wetherspoon founder Tim Martin put the group's healthy figures down to "attention to detail" over the years, good treatment of staff and innovative designs.

"We have introduced a 48-hour week for our pub managers in contrast to the average 77 hours, and have set up a bonus system," he said.

In July, it announced it was taking over McClusky's theme bar in West Street, Brighton.