Chef Direct, a Somerset-based supplier to leading British chefs, says demand has never been so high for its services but restaurants are taking longer to pay. Steve Downey’s company has been faced with London restaurants doubling their payment terms to 90 days. He says sales have grown significantly over the past five years but it takes, on average, 30 days longer to get paid than it used to. Financial Times (Food & Drink) 18/11/06 page 2