Sales Up for Managed Pubs, Bars and Restaurants but Costs Bite

Like-for-like sales at Britain’s leading managed restaurant, pub and bar groups in March were 1 4% ahead of last year ’ s levels, the new Coffer CGA Business Tracker shows

It means the Tracker produced by CGA by NIQ in par tnership with The Coffer Group and RSM UK has now been in year-on-year growth for six successive months However, March’s rate is the slowest of the first three months of 2023 and substantially below the UK’s current rate of inflation Pressure on consumer spending mixed weather and rail strikes all contributed to the challenges facing operators over the month

Pubs achieved like-for-like sales growth of 2 4% in March, while restaurants were 2 5% ahead of March 2022 The bars segment had a third consecutive month of negative figures, with sales down 13 2% The Tracker highlights an ongoing revival in London since the end of COVID19 restrictions, with trading outpacing the rest of the countr y Sales within the M25 were 3 1% ahead year-onyear, compared to 1 2% outside the M25

Karl Chessell, director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA at CGA by NIQ, said “These figures emphasise that trading conditions in hospitality remain challenging and operators have to work hard to grab their share of sales Consumers’ interest in eating and drinking out remains strong, but after adjustments for inflation it’s clear that in real terms, it is tougher for operators this year than last year May’s three bank holidays will bring oppor tunities for strong trading, and there is cautious optimism that pressure on spending may ease as the year goes on But the government’s reduction of suppor t on energ y bills from April and increases in minimum wage levels will add to the squeeze on operators and realterms growth will be difficult for some time to come ”

Mark Sheehan, managing director at Coffer Corporate Leisure , said: “The market remains challenging but there is some optimism among traders Whilst top line growth lags inflation across the board many operators are looking to take advantage of better availability of proper ty to build a selective pipeline of new sites Much growth in sales is being derived from price increases rather than volume ”

Paul Newman, head of leisure and hospitality at RSM UK, said: “The hospitality industr y is not immune to the ‘slowcession’ gripping the nation and these results reflect an industr y that is stuck in a rut of modest like for like growth, but way below inflation Operators will continue to feel the pinch until persistently high food price inflation begins to retreat but will be hopeful of an uplift in trade in mega-May to reverse this holding pattern of margin erosion ”

Phoenix Dinner Raises £7,000 for Two Hospitality Charities

Two of the leading chefs’ organisations in the UK the Craft Guild of Chefs and the British Culinar y Federation raised £7,000 to suppor t the hospitality industr y after coming together to host the inaugural Phoenix Dinner

Themed ‘Rising from the Ashes of the Pandemic’ it took place on Monday 20th March 2023 at ExCeL London during the Hotel, Restaurant & Catering (HRC) The dinner raised £7,000, which will be split between two hospitality charities Kelly’s Cause and Hospitality Action

Kelly’s Cause is the leading provider of Mental Health First Aid Training and mental health ser vices to the hospitality industr y It says it is ‘ on a mission to create a mentally healthy hospitality industr y for all’ Hospitality Action offers a whole range of suppor t ser vices to help hospitality people back on their feet again after a setback They help thousands of people through challenging times ever y year

Matt Owens chairman of the Craft Guild of Chefs said: “It was fantastic to help deliver this impor tant event which not only brought the industr y back together again but also raised much needed cash for two significant industr y charities I’d like to thank all of the attendees for their generosity and for demonstrating their endless resilience during these difficult