Sales of restaurants and pubs that reopened on July 6 in the UK were down 39.8% compared to last year, according to the latest data from the Coffer Peach Business Tracker, which produced by the CGA.

According to the data, only 70% of pubs and restaurants are trading, and only 17% of restaurants and 42% of bars open for business during the first week. Bar sales were down 42.9% and group-owned restaurants sales 40% down on the same week last year.

According to The Caterer, Karl Chessell, director of CGA, said: “Trading at almost 60% of pre-Covid norms is actually a better performance than many other markets internationally, such as the US, experienced on reopening. The sector still has a long way to go, but this sets the benchmark against which the speed of recovery will be judged.