(Corrects to show rise in online job ads referred to hospitality sector)

LONDON (Reuters) – Spending on British credit and debit cards in the week to May 6 was 106% of its February 2020 level, up from 99% a week earlier as consumers spent more on travel, eating out and other activities that are being freed up from coronavirus rules.

Other figures published on Thursday showed a net 7% of 34,940 firms surveyed by the Office for National Statistics reported an increase in turnover in March compared with March 2020.

The proportion of the workforce on the government’s job-protecting furlough scheme was 11% in the period between April 19 and May 2, down from a previous reading of 13%, the ONS said.

The proportion of UK online job adverts for catering and hospitality jumped to 103% of its February 2020 level, up by 46 percentage points from early April which was just before the partial reopening of the hospitality sector.

(This story corrects to show rise in online job ads referred to hospitality sector)

(Writing by William Schomberg, editing by Andy Bruce)