Pub group Mitchells & Butlers revealed a slump in sales in the final eight weeks of 2021 as the firm battled the impact of Omicron. Bosses of the bar group, which owns All Bar One and Toby Carvery, said the group made a strong start to the first quarter of the year, but the spread of the Omicron variant then began to dent drink sales as punters steered clear of pubs, with trade down 10 per cent over the crucial festive season.

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