A bar too far?

Slug & Lettuce
The Slug & Lettuce chain was taken over this year by pub operator SFI (who also run the Bar Med and Litten Tree chains). The 17 pubs in London make between £15,000 and £60,000 per week and are in direct competition with Pitcher & Piano and All Bar One.

Pitcher & Piano
Industry experts predict it won't be long before Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries put the Pitcher & Piano chain up for sale. Since 1996, the chain has grown from 11 to 31 sites countrywide. There are now 17 pubs across London bringing in £25,000 to £50,000 a week.

Fine Line
Although London's nine Fine Line bars attract a similar clientele to the other chains, the owners, West London brewer Fuller, Smith and Turner, say they don't plan to expand at the moment as they fear people are turning against the one-on-every-high-street chain pub.

Caf? Med

The Caf? Med chain has expanded from one bar in Notting Hill to eight bars across the capital in the past five years. The group's total turnover is around £6m a year.

The Firkin chain
Founded in 1979 and now with 48 sites in Greater London, this was among the first of the theme pubs and was sold on the fact that it produced its own ales. But last year, Firkin owners Punch Taverns were forced to close 11 of the chain's microbreweries.

Walkabouts
Regent Inns, who control the antipodean-themed Walkabout pubs, have announced this year that they will be expanding from 19 to 50 outlets. Like the Firkin chain, Walkabouts have always been pitched at the 'pub' rather than the 'bar' market and are known in particular for their loud music and live sport.