SPENDING in Colchester restaurants went up a whopping 67 per cent when venues reopened indoors, new figures show.

Card payment provider Dojo analysed transaction data between Monday, May 17, and Sunday, May 23, to find out how much sales have increased over the first week of pubs and restaurants fully reopening.

Data from Colchester shows spending in restaurants increased by about 67 per cent in the town's cafes and restaurants during this week.

This was one of the biggest increases seen across the country.

Colchester's week-on-week increase was the 30th highest across the UK.

Stoke on Trent saw the biggest rise, of an incredible 195 per cent.

In terms of spending in pubs, Colchester ranked even higher.

The 65 per cent week-on-week increase was the 12th highest in the UK.

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The data analyst team at Dojo found that not only were 23 per cent more restaurants able to trade than a week ago.

But after a week of dinners and brunches, the data also revealed that there was a whopping 49 per cent increase in restaurant spending compared to when only outdoor dining was available.

Spend for the past week was found to be 17 per cent higher than an average week in July 2020, when restaurants were open between lockdowns.

Jon Knott, head of customer insights at Dojo, said: “After over a year of lockdowns and restrictions, it is no wonder that we’re eager to get back to normality, and for some of us, this includes going out for dinner at the local restaurant.

"On the 17th May 23 per cent more restaurants were able to trade compared to the previous week. These new relaxed restrictions also meant that 67 per cent more pubs were also able to trade.

“Indoor hospitality's return has allowed a number of small businesses to reopen their doors, after many have been excluded from the easing of restrictions since April 12th.

"Restaurants have seen a 49 per cent increase in sales since indoor dining reopened with a marked increase in the average order value (+33%)."