Whitbread's restaurants are finding trading conditions "difficult"

Like-for-like sales - which strip out the impact of new outlets - in the 39 weeks to 1 December were down 0.5% on the same period last year.

Sales fell at its pub and High Street restaurants, which include the Beefeater and TGI Friday's chains.

However, its Premier Travel Inn chain performed "strongly", Whitbread said, with sales up by 7.3%.

Whitbread said it expected the rest of the year to remain "challenging", but added that "the group as a whole continues to perform in line with our expectations".