Nick Snaith, owner of The Aston near Newport, introduced the special deal offering Sunday dinner to a family of four with a whole chicken served to the table for carving when he took over the venue just over a year ago.

And it’s the fairer sex who are taking control of the blade, with mums relishing the chance to carve up the bird.

The increase in sales will also be good for the county’s health, as new research shows that children who switch off the television and eat with their families are much less likely to suffer eating disorders as teens and are more likely to connect emotionally with their parents.

Nick said that while the deal had always been popular, a seismic increase in take-up of the whole chicken deal enabled families to make the most of the opportunity to enjoy a traditional gathering around the table without the stress of cooking.

He said: “Families were very much a priority when the Aston first opened just over a year ago,” said Nick, a Heart FM DJ who splits his time between London and Newport.

“The Aston was formerly the Last Inn which had enjoyed the status of being one of the oldest pubs in Shropshire. We felt retaining traditional values and a sense of community spirit was integral to making the new-look Aston a success. We also have traditional games in the garden and we have found that families do appreciate the opportunity to spend some quality time together in what has become a busy world.”

He added that staff had also noticed many mums were enjoying the opportunity to do the carving at the table.
“Sunday lunch is a good time for families to come together and we felt bringing back that sense of occasion of serving the chicken to the table ready for carving would give families an even better experience and it has sparked a great response from customers.

“But we do seem to have gone against convention when it comes to carving,” he explained. “While tradition has it that the father carves the meat, we’re seeing mums taking control and dishing up.”

Nick added: “It has added to a lovely atmosphere with lots of family chatter going on. While at one stage the dining table was almost becoming a thing of the past as TV dinners took over, I think we have seen eating together making a real comeback and we are considering introducing other special offers which celebrate just that.”

Research conducted by the University of Illinois found children were less likely to have eating disorders and do better at school because they had improved relationships with their parents.

It advised families to eat together at least three times a week and five if possible.