UK coffee shops back in black

Coffee giant Starbucks said its 380 UK outlets were on course to generate profits after another leap in annual sales.

Cliff Burrows, managing director of the US giant's UK operations, said like-for-like sales had been in the “high single digits” for the year to September 30.

Trading in October and November suggested this sales growth would continue, nudging the chain’s UK branches ever closer to profit with Mr Burrows predicting they could move into the black by the end of next year.