More than a third to watch Olympics in the pub

Research revealed 35% of Brits intend to watch some the Rio Olympic Games in a bar or pub in August.

The opening ceremony is the most popular event, with a third more UK adults stating they would rather watch the first spectacle of the Games than the 100m sprint final in the pub.

The Tracker also found in June the average British household spent £208 on out of home leisure, a 3% decrease year-on-year and a 1% increase month-on-month.

Looking to the rest of the summer, the majority of people intend to adapt their leisure habits from June to August to make the most of the British summer.

This is particularly applicable to young people with 77% of those between the ages of 18 to 24 suggesting they will change their behaviour to prioritise activities like eating and drinking outdoors.

Around half of the same demographic group confirm they will actively reduce the number of indoor leisure activities this summer.

Other key highlights of the Tracker inclueded​

• In June, the average British household spent £208 on out of home leisure, a 3% decrease year-on-year and a 1% increase month-on-month.
• Eating out was the only area to continue to increase with a 4% rise year-on-year and a 3% increase month-on-month.
• Households in London and the South East increased spending by 3% and households in the rest of Britain increased spending by 4%.
• Any potentially substantial increase in leisure spending around the European Championships was not felt across the leisure sector as a whole this month
• Consumers are changing their leisure habits over the summer months with 60% of households with kids, 77% of 18 to 24-year-olds and 70% of 25 to 34-year-olds all making different choices between June and August than the rest of the year.

Commenting on this month’s Leisure Spend Tracker, Rob Rees, Greene King group marketing director said: “This month’s tracker has shown that pub goers want to make the most of the British summertime and the results give our industry a key understanding that outdoor spaces are coveted by the consumer.

“At Greene King, we seek to provide outside spaces, summer menus and full coverage of international sporting events to ensure that we can deliver the most quintessentially British summer atmosphere possible in our pubs.

“Looking at our monthly report on leisure spending, this month’s figures show the resilience of the leisure sector in uncertain times. Although overall spend is marginally down on this time last year, Eating out continues its excellent recent performance, being 4% up on June 2015 and 3% up on last month.”