Lendy

Number of restaurants up 13% since the recession




The number of restaurants in England has increased by 13% since the recession to 25,070 (2009: 22,230), according to the most recent data.

Research from Lendy said the rise highlighted the intense competition in the UK restaurant market.

The P2P platform believed that market saturation was the key reason why many leading chains and independents were struggling in the current market.

Lendy stated that for commercial property investors, the challenges facing the casual-dining sector reinforced the need to build a diverse portfolio of assets in a range of locations.

Liam Brooke, co-founder of Lendy (pictured above), said that in the last few years the appetite for new restaurant openings had seemed insatiable.

“Now we are seeing a period of adjustment, where many well-known brands are restructuring their businesses and re-evaluating their strategies and many independents are struggling to compete.

“For property investors it’s a timely reminder not to put all your eggs in one basket, but to look for opportunities to create a diverse spread of investments across a range of commercial properties, with loans at sensible borrowing multiples.

“This approach can help investors take advantage of high-growth sectors, while limiting their exposure to any market downturn in particular industries or locations.”

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