Those were the top takeaways from a special session from CGA by NIQ’s Karl Chessell at the recent Northern Restaurant & Bar show in Manchester. It showed how many businesses continue to thrive despite a tough trading environment, and explored what brands and venues need to do to stay ahead of the game in hospitality. Here are five top takeaways.
1 Northern cities resilient since COVID
The Hospitality Market Monitor from CGA and AlixPartners has tracked a steady fall in the number of licensed premises during and after the COVID pandemic. But in recent times, northern England has been slightly more resilient to closures. The south recorded a net decline of 15% in site numbers between 2020 and 2025, while the north was marginally better at 14%—and in the last 12 months it’s increased by 0.2%. Some big northern cities have done even better—like Liverpool (down only 6% since 2020), Leeds (down 8%) and Newcastle (down 8%)—though many secondary and seaside towns have seen some steep losses.
2 Success for homegrown brands
The resilience of the north is partly down to the steady flow of new restaurant groups and ambitious independents into the market. Some are Michelin-starred venues that have given places like Aughton and the Lake District new reputations as culinary destinations. It means the north has lost only 7% of its premium outlets in the last five years, while the south is down 11%.
The north’s image has been further enhanced by multi-site brands like Rudy’s, Mowgli and Albert’s Schloss, which have some of the highest scores for quality in CGA’s BrandTrack ratings. This reputation has been pulling more and more southern brands into the north for the first time, including Lina Stores, Blacklock and Boxpark.
3 Leaders more confident and consumers more satisfied
CGA’s Business Confidence Survey has shown the impact of the seismic challenges facing hospitality in 2025, and optimism levels have fallen for five quarters in a row. But there’s a north-south divide, with 40% of leaders operating in the north feeling optimistic about their prospects—5 percentage points more than in the south. Northern leaders are also 3 percentage points more likely to have increased their revenue in the last quarter of 2024.
There are similar gaps in guest satisfaction levels. CGA’s OPUS research found nearly a third (31%) of customers in the north were very satisfied with the quality of overall experience on their last hospitality visit—notably higher than the figure of 23% in the south. They are also more likely to feel they get good value and service.
4 Big changes in bars
The bar-going experience is evolving rapidly across the country, but it’s in the north where the fastest shifts are happening. There has been a net decline in nightclubs of 37% in the last five years—9 percentage points more than in the south—and a 24% drop in educational bars. By contrast, numbers of craft and cocktail bars have soared by 46% and 66% respectively. The biggest growth of all has been in themed and activity bars, which have soared by 270% since 2020. These changes reflect the growing demand for high-quality drinks and more interactive experiences like competitive socialising.
5 Earlier trips out
Changes in bars are also a result of consumers’ growing preferences for earlier visits to the On Premise. CGA’s sales measurement service shows afternoon and early evening dayparts have taken 1.3 percentage points of sales share over the last 12 months, while the post-7pm period has lost 1.5 percentage points. This has played to the advantage of competitive socialising, brunch and themed events in particular. All-day venues like White Cloth Hall in Leeds and Ducie Street in Manchester have also benefited, while giant restaurant, bar and entertainment concept Freight Island Newcastle follows in the Autumn. They are all reminders of how operators in northern England continues to innovate and deliver memorable experiences.
CGA by NIQ’s unique fusion of outlet data, sales measurement and consumer research helps suppliers and operators capitalise on channel, category and occasion opportunities across Britain. To learn more, contact the team.
