Greene King has been selling and buying pub chains

The Suffolk-based firm, known for its Abbots Ale and Old Speckled Hen beers, has a presence in Scotland through its Belhaven pub chain, bought in 2005.

Sales at Belhaven were down 2.8% in winter 2006 compared to a year before, but this was "better than our estimates at the time of acquisition" it said.

In the 36 weeks to 7 January, Greene King like-for-like sales were up 3.4%.

Buying and selling

Greene King has 300 of its 2,500 pubs in Scotland, where smoking was banned in public places in March 2006.

Other pub chain brands in its portfolio include Old English Inns and Hungry Horse.

Meanwhile, integration of the Nottinghamshire-based Hardys & Hansons firm, bought in September, is now complete.

Greene King sold 155 of its venues to Admiral Taverns in a deal worth �56m last month.