Manchester and Liverpool have UK's fastest growing restaurant and bar scene

The North West's restaurant and bar scene continues to outperform the rest of the UK, according to new research by hospitality analytics company CGA.

Examining the openings and closures across all major UK cities, the results showed that the highest increase of openings over the past five years has been in Manchester (22.3%) and Liverpool (18.1%) - an average of 20.2%, around three times more than in London (6.8%).

Conducted on behalf of the Northern Restaurant & Bar show (NRB) - the North's largest hospitality trade exhibition - the data showed that Northern cities centred around the M62, including Leeds (17%), are continuing to outperform the capital cities of London (6.8%), Edinburgh (9.9%) and Cardiff (5.3%).

Thom Hetherington, CEO of NRB said: “Obviously we’re based up here, so we’ve seen the development first hand, but it’s been clear that the epicentre of the Northern food and drink scene has kicked on at an unprecedented rate of knots, with a direction and velocity of travel which has left other regions trailing in its wake... the ‘M62 corridor’ is developing its own centre of gravity, pulling in new residents, businesses and tourists drawn to its unrivalled combination of culture, lifestyle and opportunity.”

Some of the most notable openings in the North West in the past year include Tast Catala (King Street, Manchester), Lunyalita (Albert dock, Liverpool), The Ivy (Spinningfields, Manchester), Rocket & Ruby (Castle Street, Liverpool), Dishoom (Bridge Street, Manchester), Rudy's (Castle Street, Liverpool), Manahatta (Deansgate, Manchester) and Sugo (Ancoats, Manchester).

Main image: The Patron