Hospitality sales boosted by 43.5%

Barclaycard has revealed that pubs, bars and clubs benefited from a 43.5% boost as colleagues reunited at post-work gatherings.

The data from Barclaycard, which sees nearly half of the nation’s credit and debit card transactions, found that consumer card spending grew 13.3% in September compared to the same period in 2019, as the British public enjoyed the last of the summer sun. 

Pubs, bars, clubs and entertainment saw significant boosts as office workers enjoyed evenings out, while non-essential items had a smaller uplift than in August.

The entertainment sector also saw its strongest growth in more than two years by 28%, with new film releases, gigs and theatre shows encouraging the British public back to venues.

However, ongoing supply chain shortages and rising food and energy prices have hampered consumer confidence.

Raheel Ahmed, head of Consumer Products, said: “The return of pupils and workers to schools and offices helped many sectors to see strong uplifts in September. Pubs, bars and clubs and the entertainment industry benefited from post-work socialising, while international travel was given a boost as holidaymakers jetted off to warmer climes to squeeze in their last trips of summer.

“Consumers are, however, starting to feel the impact of rising prices on their personal finances, which is also hampering confidence levels. While this is causing some Brits to seek out value in their purchases, as the festive season approaches, we expect spending to gradually gather pace as shoppers start buying gifts and preparing for gatherings with loved ones.”