AT one Glasgow venue, the chefs have been preparing for the Christmas office-party food rush by ordering more than 800 fillet steaks and one tonne of turkey.

At Hampden Park, bookings, especially for large groups, are 'sky high'.

The signs are that, after several years of recession, and scaled-down, or cancelled, office parties, festive bashes for staff are back in fashion.

Many pubs, too, are reporting good business for the festive season.

Eddie Gershon, spokesman for JD Wetherspoon, whose Glasgow venues include the Counting House next to George Square, said: "We're pleased to report that advanced booking figures are high and we are certain that this will continue in the coming weeks."

The nearby Corinthian Club in Ingram Street, where the chefs will be ankle-deep in fillet steaks and turkey, is staging a 'record-breaking' number of Christmas parties this year.

Jules McKim, Corinthian sales and marketing executive, said: "It seems fair to say that the office Christmas party is back."

The venue has recorded 'corporate bookings of all shapes and sizes' and says its diary is packed, 39 days before Christmas.

"Numbers of bookings are very healthy at this stage and indicate that people and businesses are financially in a much better position this year," she added.

"The demand has been so high for bookings that most of Friday and Saturday nights in December were snapped up during the first half of the year."

The 5pm.co.uk website, which offers consumers free online booking for restaurants, hotels and spa offers, said: "This year so far, the restaurants on our website have 14% more advance December bookings for parties of eight or more compared to last year, and 46% more compared to December 2011."

Some 80% of the restaurants on the website are in Glasgow, with the remainder elsewhere in Scotland.

5pm's marketing manager Ruth Broers added: "There does seem to have been a rise in economic and business confidence but there has also been an increase in confidence when it comes to booking online.

"Most the users who've made Christmas party bookings this year through us have booked a dining offer, so while more businesses are looking to celebrate, they're looking to do so on a budget."

The national football stadium says its 2013 figures for large bookings are markedly up on last year, while its bookings overall are the best since 2008. A 'significant' growth in group sizes has seen the average size grow from seven to 10 last year to 100-plus this year.

Ryan James, chairman of the Glasgow Restaurant Association, said: "Our members always have a great Christmas. Bookings are coming in thick and fast."

In Glasgow, the popular Walkabout venue said it was hosting a lot of Christmas parties this year and had beaten last year's figure.

At Rogano, head chef Andy Cumming said: "We're up almost 10% on 2012 and 2011 in terms of office-party bookings. We've noticed that the large corporate office party as such has been in decline these last few years but we do very well out of departmental-level parties, as with the banks. The big office Christmas night-out seems to have fragmented into smaller affairs. The weather is also a major factor in big night-outs."

Stuart Patrick, chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, said: "Strong Christmas bookings are yet another indicator of the city's economy being back on track. Glasgow is a hive of activity, with business confidence really climbing, particularly as the Commonwealth Games approach."