Restaurant trade is booming in Sefton

NEW figures suggest that the food industry in Sefton is thriving, as the number of restaurants and cafes in the borough continues to rise.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that there are now around 245 places to eat out in the area – an increase from 195 in 2012.

With new places opening in Southport and surrounding areas, such as Khepri, Allotment, Bistrot Pierre and Churrasco, to name a few, this is hardly surprising.

But Sefton’s steady increase in the food industry is not uncommon, as national figures show a similar trend.

Figures show that there are now 60,925 cafes and restaurants, open in the UK – up from 58,520 in 2016, and 45,555 in 2012.

The figures represent the total number of restaurants and cafes that were open in 2017, so do not reveal exactly how many restaurant openings and closures there have been over that time.

However, while there have been closures in Merseyside over the past year, the fact that there were around 55 more openings than closings in the region show the industry continues to thrive.