Grey May for hospitality groups' sales after weak Bank Holidays

Britain’s leading managed hospitality groups saw sales slip by 1.0% year-on-year in May, the latest CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker reveals.

After solid growth of 4.2% in a sunny April, trading last month was weakened by cooler and wetter weather in many parts of the country. Dips in the temperatures particularly affected May’s two long Bank Holiday weekends, which usually boost out-of-home sales. Sales through the Tracker have now been negative for three of the first five months of 2025.

The Tracker — produced by CGA by NIQ in partnership with RSM UK — shows pubs outperformed other channels for the sixth month in a row. Pubs’ sales were 0.5% ahead of May 2024, while restaurants dropped 2.5%. Sales in bars finished 5.1% down year-on-year, and the on-the-go segment fell 2.5%.

For the fourth month out of five, trading outside the M25 was slightly stronger than in London. Groups’ sales inside the M25 in May were down by 2.3% year-on-year, but further afield they were only 0.4% behind.

May’s total sales through all channels — including at venues opened by groups in the last 12 months — were 1.6% ahead of the same month in 2024. However, this is still below the UK’s recent rate of inflation, as measured by the Consumer Prices Index.

Saxon Moseley, Head of Leisure and Hospitality at RSM UK said: “Fragile consumer confidence continues to weigh on the hospitality industry with another month of negative like-for-like sales undoing much of the positive sentiment from April’s encouraging results. With cost pressures showing no signs of reducing, the situation is increasingly desperate for some. Given this combination of sluggish discretionary spending and high costs, we are seeing a number of operators actively looking to expand internationally where trading conditions are more favourable. Unless these challenges ease over the summer, this could lead to less domestic investment and longer term stagnation for the UK high street.”

Karl Chessell, Director - Hospitality Operators and Food, EMEA at CGA by NIQ, said: “May’s Tracker numbers extend the pattern of a reasonable 2025 for pub operators but a challenging one for restaurants and bars. They are particularly concerning in the context of major increases in staff costs from April, and the Chancellor’s recent spending review brought little to reduce the heavy burden on hospitality businesses. Groups will be hoping for better weather to loosen consumers’ spending in the crucial Summer months, but the trading environment is going to remain very challenging for the foreseeable future.”

This press release includes forward-looking statements that reflect NielsenIQ’s (NIQ) current expectations and projections about future market trends and consumer behaviour. These statements are based on available information and reasonable assumptions but are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ. NIQ does not undertake to update these statements, except as required by law.

CGA by NIQ collected sales figures directly from 119 leading managed groups for May’s edition of the CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker, which provides authoritative monthly insights into Britain’s restaurant, pub and bar sales. Companies participating in the Tracker receive a fuller breakdown of trading that helps to benchmark performance and understand market trends. To join the cohort, contact Andrew Dean at andy.dean@nielseniq.com

Participants in the CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker: Adventure Leisure Ltd, All Star Lanes, Amber Taverns, Anglian Country Inns, Arc Inspirations, Azzurri Group (Ask Italian, Coco di Mama, Zizzi), Barburrito, Barworks, Beds and Bars, Big Fang Collective, Big Table Group (Banana Tree Restaurants, Bella Italia, Chiquito, Frankie & Benny’s, Las Iguanas), Bill’s Restaurants, Bleecker St Burger, Boom Battle Bar, Boston Tea Party, Boxpark, BrewDog, Burger & Lobster, Buzzworks Holdings Group, Byron, Chaiiwala, Chance and Counters, Coaching Inn Group Ltd, Comptoir Group Plc, Cote Restaurants, Creams Café, D & D London, Darwin & Wallace, Dishoom, Five Guys, Fortnum & Mason, Fuller Smith & Turner, Gaucho Grill, Giggling Squid, Glendola Leisure, Gordon Ramsay Restaurants, Greene King (Chef & Brewer, Hungry Horse, Flaming Grill), Gusto Restaurants, Hall & Woodhouse, Hawthorn Leisure, Heartwood Collection, Honest Burgers, HOP Vietnamese, Individual Restaurants, Kibou, Laine Pub Co, Lane 7, Le Bistrot Pierre, Liberation, Lina Stores, Loungers, Lucky Voice, Marston’s, McMullen & Sons Ltd, Megans, Mildreds, Mission Mars, Mitchells & Butlers (Harvester, Toby, Miller & Carter, All Bar One), MJMK Restaurants, Mojo Bar, Mowgli, Nando’s Restaurants, Neos Hospitality, New World Trading Company, Nightcap Plc, North Brewing Co, NQ64 Arcade Bars, Oakman Inns, Open House London, Parogon Pub Group, Peach Pubs, Pho, Pizza Express, Pizza Hut UK, Popeyes, Portobello Starboard Ltd, Prezzo, Public House Group, Punch Pub Co, Revolution Bars, Rick Stein Restaurants, Riley’s, Rosa’s Thai, Roxy Leisure, San Carlo, Shepherd Neame, Simmons Bars Group, Snug Bar, Southern Wind Group (Fazenda), St Austell, Star Pubs & Bars, State of Play Hospitality, Stonegate Pub Co (Slug & Lettuce, Yates’, Walkabout, Bermondsey Pub Company), Tasty Plc, TGI Fridays UK, The Alchemist, The Fulham Shore, The Restaurant Group, Thunderbird Fried Chicken, Tonkotsu, Topgolf Ltd, Tortilla, Tossed, Treetop Golf, True North Brew Co, Turtle Bay, Upham Pub Co, Urban Pubs & Bars, Various Eateries (Strada, Coppa Club), Village Hotels, Wagamama, Wasabi, Wells & Co, Whitbread (Beefeater, Brewers Fayre, Table Table), Wingstop, YO! Sushi, Young’s and Yummy Collection.

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