The latest data from real time market intelligence firm Oxford Partnership, exclusively shared with The Morning Advertiser (The MA), revealed credit card spending in pubs and bars saw no growth during the seven-day period.
Spend in pubs and bars also remained flat over the 12 weeks prior to this while restaurant figures saw marginal growth of 0.6%. The figures have stayed the same for past year.
Outlet opening hours were also flat during the week to 23 November, though this was an improvement on the year-to-date trend of 2% down.
The change in trading hours was driven by the increased levels of consumer usage during the seven-day period, with occupancy levels showing an increase of 0.7% against the same week last year.
Disheartening
However, the length of visit decreased by 0.8% in the week to 23 November, compared with a 2.7% uptick in the year to date, as colder weather and snow kept people at home.
Cities were hardest hit during the seven-day period, with a downturn in trade of 23.6%, followed by rural outlets (down 9.6%) and suburban venues (down 6.4%). Trade in London saw a 4.2% decline.
The figures marked the biggest drops across the board for each segment in the year to date.
Oxford Partnership CEO Alison Jordan told The MA: “It is disheartening to see yet another flat week as we head into December.
“However, this reflects the fact it was the week before payday this year versus a payday weekend last year which probably played a part in it, as well as the inclement weather, as some parts of the UK had snow.”
Drinks wise, Stout saw an “impressive” uptick of 15.9% in the week to 23 November, with no other category matching its growth, according to the Oxford Partnership figures.
Declining visits
Sales of draught beer and cider saw a 7.3% decrease during the week measured, attributed to the decline in visits to city centre pubs.
Meanwhile world lager saw a downturn of 3.8% and core larger sales dropped 13.5%.
Previous data from Oxford Partnership revealed opening hours were down 0.5% in the week to Saturday 16 November, while occupancy levels rose 0.7% despite flat dwell time.
It comes as numbers from Barclays’ latest Consumer Spending Report revealed consumer card spending in the on-trade had fallen 0.5% year-on-year last month.
Meanwhile the average cost of a pint of draught lager in pubs increased 2.8% in the year to October, up from £4.67 in 2023 to £4.80, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
