Pub, bar and restaurant sales fall 3.3%

Like-for-like sales across the pub, bar and restaurant sector fell 3.3% in February against the year prior, according to the latest data from Coffer Peach Business Tracker. 

Managed pub groups saw collective like-for-like sales fall 4.2%, while restaurant groups were down 1.8%, and bar chains down 2.8%. 

The weekly results for the last week in February showed like-for-like sales were down 4.4% across the whole sector.

Total sales for the month, including the effect of new openings since this time last year, were also down 0.7% against the year prior.

Pubs faced a decline in both food and drink sales, which were down 3.9% and 4.6% respectively. Restaurant sales were down 1.8%, while the number of covers served in the month fell by 4.9%.

CGA, who produced the tracker alongside RSM and The Coffer Group, said that the impact of the developing coronavirus outbreak and the effect of floods during the month both impacted results for the sector. 

Karl Chessell, business unit director of food and retail at CGA, said: “The month started with flooding hitting sales in parts of the country, with pubs and restaurants actually closed in some areas. 

“But as the month progressed, the impact of the developing coronavirus emergency began to take its toll on business – and we can only expect that will have an increasingly negative impact on sales in coming months.” 

He added: “It is impossible to predict how bad the effect of the coronavirus emergency will be on the market longer term, but as CGA’s snap poll of industry leaders last week showed, operators are expecting major disruption. 

“All we can say from these figures is that all parts of the business are being affected, and the worst is probably yet to come.”