WHY THE BIG NIGHT IN IS STILL A BIG DEAL

The big night in remains popular with shoppers, especially as people tighten their belts. JASPER HART finds out more

Staying In Is Staying Around

DESPITE a year free from Covid-19 restrictions, the appetite for the big night in, acquired during times of lockdown, remains healthy.

Its staying power has been helped in no small part by the collective cost pressures affecting the vast majority of UK shoppers, as well as other disruptions including seasonal Covid-19 spikes and recurring industrial action which continues to stifle many people’s travel plans.

According to market intelligence firm The Oxford Partnership, the average pub saw a rise of 1.4% in sales over Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

However, this was down by 13.9% compared to prepandemic levels, with citycentre pubs suffering the most. “It’s worth noting that the UK is sensibly planning for tough times ahead. Consumer confidence in the UK is currently at a record low, even lower than the 2008 global financial crisis,” says Calli O’Brien, head of marketing at Aston Manor.

“This paints a grim picture of the UK public’s mood and, as a result, decision making around expenditure is being heavily impacted.”

The time of year is also a crucial factor. As we emerge from the Christmas period, a cold January makes many people think of hunkering down and waiting for brighter days and bigger bank balances.

Conversely, in the eyes of

Spar Sleaford retailer Rachael Hockmeyer, such times are an opportunity. “We noticed on the first pay day in January that the big night in had taken off again,” she says. “Historically, when we go in a recession, convenience stores do well because people stop going out as much. Everybody seems to trade down – if they usually go to a restaurant, they have a takeaway. If they usually have a takeaway, they buy something from a convenience store.”

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