Restaurateurs are toasting an upturn in business after figures showed an increase in the number of people dining out.

A report has found a 23 per cent rise among those who turned their backs on kitchen stoves in favour of eating out last year.

Scots also appear to be happy to pay a premium for fine dining. On average, a Scottish diner pays £26.08 when eating out, slightly behind those in Northern Ireland (£26.73) and ahead of people in Wales (£19.02).

The study also found almost a fifth of UK consumers were planning to spend even more on dining out in the next few months, suggesting restaurants in Scotland would see a bumper Christmas.

Seamus MacInnes, owner of Cafe Gandolfi in the Merchant City, Glasgow', said his business had enjoyed a substantial boost in recent months, but mostly because of the success of recent events in the area.

He said: "There has been an upturn, and look at what Glasgow went through during the Commonwealth Games. It was unbelievable.

"A lot of the stuff for fans happened right on our doorstep, so we were very busy. Although I know of some restaurants in the West End that did not fare so well.

"All those people that came to the city will spread the word, so we should see an upturn in visitors that could keep this going."

He added: "But it's very hard to change people's confidence so we have just been working hard and doing our job. Maybe the increase is down to that."

Chris Wood, managing director at Barclaycard, which carried out the survey, said the Where's Britain Spending? report into consumer trends showed people were feeling less constrained over their finances and were ready to start splashing out on luxuries and treats for themselves.

Almost two-thirds (64 per cent) of those who took part in the study said they were confident in their ability to live within their means each month, while more than half (57 per cent) were happy with their household finances.

Mr Wood said: "The UK's restaurant industry is enjoying a mini-boom, with spending in the last 12 months jumping by a fifth. With the office party season just around the corner, this is likely to give restaurants in Scotland a very merry Christmas.

"Dining out is one of the first things to be cut when we tighten our purse strings, so the fact we are spending more is a sign consumers are feeling more confident in their financial position."

Diners in Wales topped the eating-out table between July and September, the period covered by the report, where spending was 19 per cent greater than in 2013.

In the East and North East of England spending was up 18 per cent, while in the South West it has grown 17 per cent. Diners in Northern Ireland are spending 12 per cent more on eating out.

Barclaycard said the figures may be a response to a "culinary boom" taking place across the UK, with 14 restaurants across the country promoted to one-star status by Michelin in its latest guide, including two in the Scottish islands.