Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the measure of the UK’s growth, slowed in the third quarter of the year, in-line with analyst expectations. Official figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) this morning, showed growth of 0.7% following growth of 0.9% in the second quarter.

All four sectors, including the services sector which encompasses retail and hospitality, showed growth and the economy is now 3.4% higher than its pre-crisis peak, reached in 2008.

Following the downturn, the services industries generally grew steadily, albeit slowly, with output exceeding its pre-downturn peak in Q3 2011.