Increasing consumer confidence will drive growth in the UK restaurant sector through 2014, according to industry experts, but will be tempered by the continued squeeze on operators’ profit margins.
Branded coffee shop sales rose by 9.3 per cent last year with 5,531 outlets turning over a total of £2.6bn according to latest figures from Allegra Strategies.
The festive period appeared to be one of the strongest on record for many restaurant and pub groups across the UK, despite the recent challenges to footfall caused by the extreme weather.