Pub visits increase in the six months to October

The number of visits people are making to pubs every month has increased slightly in the six months to October according to the latest Taste of the Nation survey by Deloitte.

The survey, which polls 3,000 consumers around the UK found that the frequency of visits to pubs for either a drink or a meal rose slightly from 4.6 to 4.7 times per month. This makes pubs the second-most popular destination for going out, after coffee or sandwich shops.

But it is a case of good news/bad news for publicans as the number of visits is expected to drop over the next six months, by 0.2 occasions.

The report says that the growth in visits to pubs was driven by meal occasions and specifically in the regions outside of London. The Midlands and the South West saw large increases in the frequency of going out and that trend is set to continue over the next six months.

The Baby Boomer demographic is eating out in pubs more often and Generation X also increased the number of times they went out. Surprisingly Generation Y, defined as those aged 18-34) saw a decline in going out activity, which is the first time that has happened since the Taste of the Nation survey began.

Bars, which the report describes as destinations that are “more up-market in appeal than the pub, sometimes with an extensive wine and/or cocktail list, and where music is important”, were found to be the third most popular destination. Bars were visited on average 3.3 times per month, this figure has remained flat over the past year and it is forecast to stay the same over the next six months.

The survey also found that vouchers were becoming an increasingly important part of the licensed retail sector as they were found to help drive footfall, as well as encouraging consumers to experiment while also rewarding loyalty.