The number of restaurants becoming insolvent went up by a quarter in 2018, as consumers increasingly opted to eat at home.

According to accountancy firm Moore Stephens said there have been 1,219 insolvencies, from standalone restaurants up to large investor-backed chains - up from 985 in 2017, as reported by the BBC.

The firm blamed an overcapacity of restaurants at a time when Brits are choosing to eat out less.

In 2018, a spate of big restaurant chains were forced to close branches as they faced unsustainable debts. Carluccios is shutting 34 branches and Prezzo said it would close 94 , including its Gloucester and Tewkesbury branches. 

Insolvencies are at their highest level since the firm began tracking the sector in 2010. It said an influx of private equity investment meant that some restaurant chains were opening too many sites that were failing to break even.

Combined with interest rate rises and ongoing Brexit concerns which have led to a slowdown in consumer spending, and rising operator costs, such as the minimum wage, the current climate for restaurants is tough.

While there is traditionally a rise in eating out in the run-up to Christmas, it's thought that things will slow down again in January, with the prospect of more closures and more job losses.