Tony Rice, a non-executive director of Spirit Pub Company, has bought £152,506-worth of shares, increasing his stake by around a third.

The addition of the 206,984 shares, which were bought at 73.68p apiece, take Rice's holding to 810,000 shares.

The purchase comes a few weeks after the group toasted a strong third quarter's trading.

Spirit's managed estate, which include the Chef & Brewer and Fayre & Square chains, grew like-for-like (LFL) net sales by 6% in the 12 weeks to May 24th, which it said was ahead of the market.

Food sales were up by 4.8% and drink sales, which have a moderately higher margin, were up by 7.1% over the same period a year ago and above those of the preceding half-year as well.

In the group's improving leased business, LFL turnover was 2.5% higher than the same quarter a year before, but lower than the first half of the year and so dragged the year-to-date figure down to 3%.

Top Director Buys

Spirit Pub Company (SPRT)
Director name: Mr Tony Rice
Amount purchased: 206,984 @ 73.68p
Value: £152,506

Aquarius Platinum Ld (AQP)
Director name: Mr Jean Nel
Amount purchased: 313,290 @ 20.60p
Value: £64,538

Premier Farnell (PFL)
Director name: Mr Mark Whiteling
Amount purchased: 50,000 @ 187.90p
Value: £93,950

Aquarius Platinum Ld (AQP)
Director name: Mr Nicholas T Sibley
Amount purchased: 31,140 @ 23.39p
Value: £7,284

Mitchells & Butlers (MAB)
Director name: Mr Timothy (Tim) Charles Jones
Amount purchased: 3,000 @ 377.90p
Value: £11,337


Top Director Sells

DotDigital Group (DOTD)
Director name: Mr Francis Beechinor-Collins
Amount sold: 99,194 @ 33.50p
Value: £33,230

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