Restaurants, pubs report 44% like-for-like trading slump in 4 July reopening weekend: survey
More pubs were open for dine-in.
Trading for managed pub, bar and restaurant companies that opened sites in England last weekend slumped 44.5%, according to latest Coffer Peach Business Tracker data.
Figures reveal that 36% of group-operated sites were open for eating and drinking inside on 4 and 5 July, the first time that hospitality businesses were allowed to reopen fully since lockdown.
Pubs and bars that opened saw sales down 44.7% compared to the same weekend in 2019. Group-owned restaurants that were open were 41.1% down.
Notably, more pubs opened their doors than restaurants during the weekend, with the data showing that 42% of managed pubs, bars and pub restaurants traded, whilst just 12% of restaurants were open for business.
“Trading at around 55% of pre-COVID norms may seem a disappointing result, and it won’t be profitable for operators, but it is very much in line with what we have seen in other markets,” Karl Chessell, director of CGA, explained.
CGA is the business insight consultancy that produces the Tracker, in partnership with The Coffer Group and RSM.
“It is going to take time for the trade to return but this provides a foundation on which to build consumer confidence and adapt and improve operations,” he added.
In all, 32 companies provided data to the Tracker, with another 17 operators reporting that they had yet to open any sites.
