The owner of a Bath restaurant targeted by foie gras demonstrators says their campaign of protests has actually increased his sales of the controversial delicacy.

Members of the Bath Activist Network have been organising weekly demonstrations outside Minibar in John Street.

But chef and co-owner Alex Grant said their actions had actually had the opposite effect on his customers.

He said: "I have served more foie gras than ever before. Their protests have actually increased my sales of foie gras. I am busier and have more customers. They are giving us free advertising.

"Most of our customers are giving us support and are telling us that we are not doing anything wrong."

Mr Grant insisted that he was not going to back down on the issue. "I am going to keep it on my menu no matter what," he said.

The restaurant has also won support from nearby pubs and restaurants, including the Firehouse Rotisserie, the Raven and the Salamander.

They have all contacted the police to complain about the noisy protesters, who regularly use a megaphone and whose actions have driven customers away.

Bar manager at the Raven Tim Perry said people in his pub had actually been prompted to try foie gras after hearing the demonstrators.

He said: "They have a right to protest, which I am absolutely fine with – it's what makes this country what it is – but they keep using a megaphone and that is not nice.

"I also have the feeling they are getting more aggressive but there isn't anything the police can do because the protesters are very aware of the law.

"I can guarantee that he has sold at least half a dozen more portions than he would have. People have come in here saying "what's all this foie gras? I've never heard of it", so they go up and have some."

Co-manager of the Firehouse Amanda Ball said the protesters were damaging her restaurant's trade because they were intimidating potential customers.

She said: "We have phoned the police on a couple of occasions, in particular when they have been using a megaphone persistently.

"It is particularly noticeable on a summer evening when we have got all our windows open and they are bawling out.

"We have definitely noticed that we don't have so many walk-ins in the evening when they are out there.

"There is normally quite a large group of them and they can be quite intimidating when you come around the corner."

Mr Grant said last Thursday he had received more than 30 phone calls from people telling him the foie gras was disgusting and that during a recent protest drunk, homeless people had been sent upstairs into the restaurant to shout at him and his customers.

An item on The Bath Bomb website, which is linked to the Bath Activist Network, has posted the restaurant's phone number and encouraged people to contact Mr Grant.

It says: "Although impressively obstinate about their democratic right to profit from the abuse of defenceless animals, Minibar have been looking decidedly shaky for a while, and it is hoped that increasing the pressure can speed the end of the campaign – and the end of the inconvenience their reticence has been causing for local businesses and residents.

"Concurrent to the increased pickets, a phone-in-and-complain campaign has been playing havoc with the restaurant's time management, and has sparked some amusingly obscene tirades from co-owner and head chef Alexander Grant."