Britain’s managed pub groups got a modest boost from early World Cup matches in June, but other segments struggled for growth, the latest NIQ RSM Hospitality Business Tracker reveals.
The Tracker, produced by NIQ and powered by CGA intelligence, in association with RSM, shows pubs’ like-for-like sales were up by 1.9% year-on-year, making June their best month of the year so far.
As well as welcoming England and Scotland fans to watch group stage games, pubs benefited from periods of warm weather in many parts of the country.
However, other hospitality channels found it harder to generate footfall, as many consumers set aside spending for the World Cup or stayed at home. Restaurant groups’ sales were down by 0.7% year-on-year, making June their second-worst month of 2026. Bar groups’ sales dropped by 5.8% to extend a long run of negative numbers.
The net result for hospitality was a virtually flat June, with sector-wide sales rising just 0.2% ahead of last year. Growth hovered less than one percentage point either side of flat throughout the first half of 2026, and it has now been below the UK’s rate of inflation, as measured by the consumer prices index, for 14 straight months.
It was a brighter June for hospitality groups on a total sales basis, the Tracker shows. Adding in venues which have been opened in the last 12 months, sales rose by 3.8% in June — fractionally ahead of inflation.
For the third month in a row, trading in London was slightly ahead of the rest of the country. Groups’ like-for-like sales rose by 1% within the M25, but were exactly flat beyond.
“June’s numbers complete a modest first half of the year for hospitality in which any real-terms growth was very hard-earned,” said Karl Chessell, director, hospitality operators and food, EMEA at NIQ. “The combination of the World Cup and sunshine was a boost to pubs, and we can expect strong July results after England’s progress in the tournament.
“However, big events and the heat tend to work less well for restaurants, who are besieged by high costs at the moment. It’s encouraging to see topline growth, which indicates that operators and investors have enough long-term confidence to open new premises.”
Saxon Moseley, head of leisure and hospitality at RSM UK, added: “Wet-led pubs were the real winners of the World Cup with strong like-for-like growth bolstered by the hot weather, underscoring the importance of experience-led spending in the current climate.
“RSM’s latest Consumer Outlook highlights that discretionary spending remains constrained and highly selective. Good news for one segment of the hospitality market invariably means others coming under pressure, with restaurants, bars, and on-the-go outlets all losing ground in June.
“As we look ahead to the second half of the year, operators will be hoping that Andy Burnham delivers on his promise to reform business rates and put more cash in consumers’ pockets.”
