Britain’s leading hospitality groups saw like-for-like sales fall by 0.4% in April as consumers tightened their spending, the latest NIQ RSM Hospitality Business Tracker reveals.

It is the third month of negative growth out of four for the Tracker, which is produced by NIQ, powered by CGA intelligence, in association with RSM. It continues a challenging start to 2026 for managed groups, with businesses and individuals alike facing relentless pressure on costs.

Restaurants and pubs flat, bars sharply down

The restaurant and pub sectors were both broadly flat in April, the Tracker shows. Restaurants’ sales were 0.1% ahead of the same month in 2025 — a marked downturn from March, when they achieved growth of 2.5% — while pubs’ sales fell by 0.2%.

This is the first negative month for pubs since the start of last year, reflecting tough comparisons with a sunny and warm April in 2025. Cooler and wetter weather left pub gardens and terraces in some parts of the country empty last month, including over the crucial Easter weekend.

Meanwhile the bar sector continued a long run of soft trading, with like-for-like sales dropping by 5.8% to make April the weakest month since October. Recent bar closures from operators including Revolution and Brewdog have highlighted the heavy pressure on this sector at the moment.

New openings not enough for real-terms growth

The NIQ RSM Hospitality Business Tracker shows some managed groups continue to cautiously expand their estates. On a total sales basis — including at venues opened in the last 12 months — sales rose by 2.8% in April. However, this is down from recent months and is below the country’s rate of inflation throughout 2026.

The Tracker’s breakdown of sales indicates a marginally better April for operators in London. Like-for-like sales rose by 1.9% within the M25 but fell by 1.3% further afield.

Saxon Moseley, Head of Leisure and Hospitality at RSM UK, said: “It’s hard to ignore the growing impact that the conflict in Iran is having on UK consumer confidence, with discretionary spending increasingly constrained by higher petrol prices. There is also concern that a potential Labour leadership challenge will bring further uncertainty, which has already nudged up mortgage rates and risks sending the wrong signal to consumers. Against this backdrop, the industry is working incredibly hard just to stand still, with operators continuing to cut back on employment to manage soaring costs. The industry will be hoping that a successful summer of sport and good weather can lift spirits and drive growth in these challenging times.”

Karl Chessell, Director - Hospitality Operators and Food, EMEA at NIQ, said: “After a tough start to 2026, hospitality groups’ growth has now been below inflation for 12 straight months. With key operating costs so high and consumers’ spending restricted yet further by the impacts of high oil prices, trading conditions won’t be getting easier anytime soon. The confidence of businesses and individuals alike is running low and pub operators in particular will be hoping for brighter weather to tempt people out and stimulate spending over the summer.”

NIQ collected sales figures directly from 116 leading managed groups for March’s edition of the NIQ 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 NIQ 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, Boisdale Ltd, 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, Darwin & Wallace, Dishoom, Evolv Collection, Five Guys, Flat Iron, Fortnum & Mason, Fuller Smith & Turner, Gaucho Grill, Giggling Squid, Glendola Leisure, Gordon Ramsay Restaurants, Greene King (Chef & Brewer, Hungry Horse, Flaming Grill), Hall & Woodhouse, Hawthorn Leisure, Heartwood Collection, Honest Burgers, HOP Vietnamese, Kibou, Kricket, Laine Pub Co, Lane 7, 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 , Open House London, Parogon Pub Group, Pho, Pizza Express, Pizza Hut UK, Popeyes, Portobello Starboard Ltd, Prezzo, Public House Group, Punch Pub Co, Rick Stein Restaurants, Riley’s, Rosa’s Thai, Roxy Leisure, San Carlo, Sandbox VR, Shepherd Neame, Signature Pubs, Simmons Bars Group, 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, Upham Pub Co, Urban Pubs & Bars, Urban Village Pub Co, Various Eateries (Strada, Coppa Club), Village Hotels, Wagamama, Wasabi, Wells & Co, Whitbread (Beefeater, Brewers Fayre, Table Table), Wingstop, Yard Sale Pizza, Yolk, YO! Sushi, Young’s and Yummy Collection.

About NIQ

NielsenIQ (NYSE: NIQ) is a leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete and trusted understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. By combining an unmatched global data footprint and granular consumer and retail measurement with decades of AI modeling expertise, NIQ builds decision systems that help companies turn complex data into confident action.

With operations in more than 90 countries, NIQ covers approximately 82% of the world’s population and more than $7.4 trillion in global consumer spend. Through cloud-based platforms, advanced analytics and AI-driven insights, NIQ delivers The Full View™ — helping brands and retailers understand what consumers buy, why they buy it, and what to do next.

For more information, please visit www.niq.com

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