Britain’s managed pub groups enjoyed a bright April, with like-for-like sales growth of 9.1%, the latest CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker reveals.
It follows a month of warm weather that encouraged consumers into pub gardens and terraces. However, some of the growth was at the expense of restaurants, where sales fell 0.9% year on year. Bars continued a long run of negative numbers, with trading down 4.5%.
Nevertheless, sales across all hospitality group outlets were 4.2% ahead of April 2024 — comfortably beating the UK’s recent rates of inflation, as measured by the Consumer Prices Index.
It represents a strong start to the second quarter of 2025 after year-on-year drops of 1.3% and 0.6% in January and March, and growth of just 0.1% in February.
April’s comparison was slightly inflated by the long Easter weekend, which fell in March last year. Total sales — including at venues opened by groups in the last 12 months — were 6.8% ahead of April 2024.
The Tracker, produced by CGA by NIQ in partnership with RSM UK, shows trading outside the M25 was significantly better than in London. Groups’ sales inside the M25 were ahead by 0.9% year-on-year, but further afield they rose by 5.5%.
Consumer confidence remains fragile
“After a tough few months for hospitality, the warm weather has given managed pubs a very bright start to the second quarter,” said Karl Chessell, director, hospitality operators and food, EMEA, at CGA by NIQ.
“It is hopefully a sign that some consumers are spending a little more freely, though a disappointing month for restaurants suggests others were simply switching from eating out to drinking out.
“Ongoing high costs for operators, including through heavy new labour bills from April, continue to pile pressure on margins —but while the sun continues to shine, pubs with outdoor spaces can expect trade to remain strong.”
Saxon Moseley, head of leisure and hospitality at RSM UK, added: “The headline growth in like-for-like sales will be celebrated by operators who have endured a contraction in trading since the start of the year. This uptick may signal a shift in consumer behaviour as improving weather and greater opportunities to socialise begin to drive spending.
“Pubs were the clear winners from the spring sunshine, but other parts of the hospitality sector can also take encouragement from the broader rise in activity.
“However, consumer confidence remains fragile, so recovery is far from assured. Cost pressures remain acute, with food inflation outpacing general inflation in April, but for the first time this year there is cautious optimism that revenue growth may ease these concerns.”
