Boost for UK Venues as Customers go out More Often

People are starting to frequent bars, clubs and restaurants in the UK increasingly more, often leaving the on-trade well placed to capitalise on “austerity fatigue”, according to new figures.

The Zolfo Cooper Leisure Wallet report, the biannual barometer of the Leisure industry, revealed that the frequency of visits to leisure establishments has increased despite average spend-per-visit continuing to drop. The increase is seen across the board, the first time any increase has been seen in the three main areas of leisure spending examined by the leisure Wallet since launching in summer 2010. However the spend per visit continues to drop in line with falling incomes across the country.

Over the year the national average household income across a sample of 3,000 consumers fell by £640 to £30,584. In total 48% of those interviewed said that their disposable income had decreased, while just 6% reported an increase. Despite this, visits are on the rise, suggesting a behavioral shift and recognition by consumers that if they spread their leisure spend; they can start going out more.

Over the last year drinkers have increased their visits to pubs and bars by to an average of 4.6 visits a month from 4.3 a month in summer 2011 and visits are even up on the 4.5 visits at the same time last year. However the current National spend per visit is now £14.69, a drop of 2.6% from the last report and 9.5% last year when the figure was £16.24.