Deliveroo boss Will Shu warns on future of restaurant industry

The boss of Deliveroo has warned that restaurants are 'hurting' due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In an interview with the BBC, Will Shu said that "even if restrictions are lifted soon, there's going to be a long period of socially-distanced dining" which will inevitably damage Deliveroo's restaurant partners.

Deliveroo - a food delivery service - has also struggled during lockdown. In April the firm said it would axe more than 350 staff - or around 15% of its global headcount

The company blamed the cuts on the coronavirus crisis, saying the public health emergency had put pressure on the business to reduce long-term costs.

But Shu remained upbeat. Deliveroo has expanded its UK customer base, with coronavirus accelerating the adoption of delivery apps, he said.

Shu added that "Covid-19 really has marked a new era of delivery."

"Since we started Deliveroo, there's been this incredible adoption towards online and apps. But I think Covid-19 has brought forward this consumer behaviour by about one to three years."

Restaurants and bars reopen again for the first time in months this Saturday.