 In 1996 Allied Domecq opened 40 sites, taking the number of Firkin pubs to 160, turning over £100m.The chain would grow to 170 sites under a succession of owners until it was bought by Punch Taverns in 1999 and disbanded.Many former Firkins became O'Neill's, owned by Mitchells & Butlers, and have a similar sparse décor to the original Firkin pubs.