New figures show
Britain’s managed pub and restaurant market experienced a dip in trading in May, with operators recording collective like-for-like sales down 0.4 per cent compared to the same month last year, latest figures from the Coffer Peach Business Tracker show.
Groups trading in London did slightly better with like-for-likes up 0.1 per cent, compared to a 0.6 per cent fall outside of the M25.
“May’s numbers will be a disappointment for operators as they come after a 4.4 per cent increase in April, but the truth is we are seeing an essentially flat market,” said Peter Martin, vice president of CGA Peach, the business insight consultancy that produces the Tracker, in partnership with Coffer Group and RSM.
“Eating and drinking out has proved resilient, with the public continuing to go out even through the last downturn. Our BrandTrack consumer surveys show frequency of both eating and drinking out-of-home staying fairly constant over recent years.
“The problem hasn’t been so much consumer confidence but business confidence, with mounting cost pressures on operators from rising wages, business rates and food costs. The latest fall in sterling following the general election result will only add to that,” he said.
Leave a Comment