UK hospitality sector posts ‘steady’ sales growth in H1 22: CGA

Transactions in pubs and restaurants helped some city centres to recover.

There has been solid sales growth in restaurants, pubs, and bars that aids in Britain’s regional city centres in recovery in the first half of 2022, a CGA and Wireless Social report showed.

The research indicated that Britain’s 10 most populous cities ”improved on the benchmarks of 2019 in six consecutive four-week periods” this year. 

Sales in the recent four-week period to 2 July were at an average of 2% higher than in the same time in 2019.

The rankings showed that Glasgow secured the highest average ranking whilst Bristol and Birmingham rank second and third on average. London struggled in terms of footfall, with sales declining by 8%.

CGA client director Chris Jeffrey said: “Britain’s cities were badly hit by two years of COVID restrictions, but this research shows how hospitality can help revitalise them. While so much retail activity moves online, restaurants, pubs and bars are giving people reasons to visit cities, and keeping their central areas vibrant.“

“However, operators face huge inflationary pressures, which is making real-terms sales growth difficult, and the cost-of-living crisis is constricting consumers’ spending. Hospitality can continue to fuel Britain’s economic revival, but it deserves proper support from government to help sustain fragile businesses over this challenging period,” he added.