Wet-led pubs among biggest losers as on-trade outlet numbers fall

Wet-led pubs and nightclubs were the biggest losers as the number of on-trade outlets fell 2.5% last year, with only food-led pubs and hotels experiencing moderate growth.

There were 127,151 on-trade premises in Britain in December 2011, down 2.5% on the same period one year earlier, according to new data from CGA Strategy.

Nightclub numbers fell 13.7% to 1,965, with wet-led pubs down 2.2% to 30,968 and restaurants down 1.2% to 22,710. Social clubs also experienced a significant decline, down 5.2%, and circuit bars fell 0.9% by number. There were 11,597 food-led pubs, up 0.7%, and 7,364 hotels, an increase of 0.6%.

CGA said that 1,308 venues moved outlet type over the 12 months. Of these, 17% of these are wet led, of which 42% became “premium locals” or young person’s venues, 26% became food pubs and 21% became ethnic restaurants.

In addition, 255 food-led pubs changed of operating style. More than half (142) moved from a non-branded operation into an overtly and clearly branded chain. In addition, 74 branded outlets moved away from being clearly branding; CGA said this is in an effort to premiumise and attract the higher end of the market.

Café wine bars and “modern” bars made up nearly half of new openings and they also make up many of the outlet migrations. Seventy seven outlets changed their operational style from a more traditional young person’s venue to one of these categories.

“These bars are more adept at changing their outlet offer several times throughout the day to ensure multiple busy periods,” said CGA chief operating officer Phil Tate. “Typically we see them open for coffee in the morning, lunch and dinner for the business crowd and then finally a premium wet led offering post 8pm.”