Rail strikes cost restaurants £100m as lunch reservations plunge – latest updates

Britain’s pubs and restaurants fear this week’s strikes will cost them £100m in sales, with London shouldering most of the impact.

Almost half a million British teachers, train drivers and civil servants are walking out today in protest against real-terms pay cuts. 

It is the largest single-day strike in a wave of industrial action that has been growing since the summer.

It comes as strikes are estimated to have cost the UK economy £1.5bn last year, according to Bloomberg Economics.

UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls said: “The situation provides yet another pressure for a sector contending with soaring energy costs, workforce challenges and dampening consumer confidence.”

There are hopes the disruption may be coming to an end after Network Rail made a revised offer to the RMT union, which would mean up to 1,500 rail workers will have their working week cut by five hours.

Read the latest updates below.