Restaurants dine out on robust trading

'‹The company behind upmarket Leeds restaurants Crafthouse and Angelica reported robust Christmas trading at both sites despite the impact of floods in the city and surrounding areas.

By The Newsroom

Published 11th Jan 2016, 17:35 BST

Updated 11th Jan 2016, 17:39 BST

Mark Morris, general manager at Crafthouse and Angelica, said: “The flooding was pretty dreadful and massively affected footfall coming into the city. We did take a hit, but we traded quite strongly before that.

“Footfall went through the roof once the rain stopped and the folks of Leeds turned up en masse.”

Mr Morris said the restaurants’ success was down to having “one of the best chefs in the city” in Lee Murdoch and spectacular views.

Parent company D&D London said group like-for-like sales rose 4.2 per cent in December.

The Leeds restaurants achieved sales in line with last year as the floods hit trading.

Mr Morris said the restaurants are gearing up for Burns Night on January 26 when The City of Leeds Pipe Band will play the bagpipes.