Leisure units in GB slips to 2.4% in the first half of 2018, study says

The said sector used to see consistent growth up to the second half of 2017.

The number of leisure units in Great Britain which include hotels, cafes, fast food, restaurants, bars, pubs, clubs and entertainment sites fell down to 2.4% or a decrease of 1,088 stores during the first half of 2018.

According to a study by retail intelligence business Local Data Company (LDC), the results are driven by a slowdown in openings of new stores and an increase in closures of chain brands.

Brands with less than five stores are predicted to remain stable as they were supported by food aggregators such as Deliveroo and UberEats.

Café & fast food chains and accommodation operators are said to have remained resilient during the period. Ice cream parlours and independent coffee shops are said to have grown with as additional 51 and 52 stores respectively

“Previously, the sustained growth in the leisure sector has provided a balancing force for many high streets, shopping centres and retail parks, as sectors more challenged by online growth have reduced their physical presence,” Lucy Stainton, senior relationship manager at the Local Data Company, said.

“However, it’s not all doom and gloom with many of the key areas of growth so far this year in newer leisure concepts such as ice cream parlours and independent coffee shops. We hope therefore that this decline in the leisure sector will stabilise in the coming months and years as newer brands and international concepts chart further growth”.