A celebrity chef has warned of an "underlying fragility" of the UK hospitality sector in the run up to Christmas.
Paul Askew, who is the chef patron of The Art School in Liverpool, added that the next few weeks are "crucial" for the industry and highlighted the "pressure points" which venues will be battling this festive season.
Mr Askew has been in the food industry for more than 40 years and has appeared on the likes of Saturday Kitchen, Sunday Brunch, Celebrity MasterChef and The Great British Menu.