Restaurants in London reported the first signs of recovery as 40% of operators saw an increase in takings in the three months from April to June, according to a new survey.
The monthly London Restaurant Barometer compiled by Business Link found that a third of restaurateurs in the capital said that they had seen a rise in covers compared with the first quarter and a more than a fifth reported an increase in customer spend.
The study, however, outlined that while overall figures had improved, trading continued to be challenging with average spend remaining low.
Around 85% of restaurateurs reported that customer spend was unchanged or down compared with the first three months of the year.
Ashley de Safrin, tourism and hospitality specialist at Business Link, said: “Over the past year people are ordering more tap water instead of bottled water and are opting for value drinks instead of quality wines and champagnes.
“People continue to be prudent, opting for cheaper alternatives and restaurants need to bear these factors in mind when designing their menus and ordering their supplies.”
