It follows a month of warm weather that encouraged consumers into pub gardens and terraces. However, some of the growth was at the expense of restaurants, where sales fell 0.9% year-on-year. Bars continued a long run of negative numbers, with trading down 4.5%.
Nevertheless, sales across all hospitality group outlets were 4.2% ahead of April 2024—comfortably beating the UK’s recent rates of inflation, as measured by the Consumer Prices Index. It represents a strong start to the second quarter of 2025 after year-on-year drops of 1.3% and 0.6% in January and March and growth of just 0.1% in February. April’s comparison was slightly inflated by the long Easter weekend, which fell in March last year. Total sales—including at venues opened by groups in the last 12 months—were 6.8% ahead of April 2024.
The Tracker, produced by CGA by NIQ in partnership with RSM UK, shows trading outside the M25 was significantly better than in London. Groups’ sales inside the M25 were ahead by 0.9% year-on-year, but further afield they rose by 5.5%.
Karl Chessell, director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA at CGA by NIQ, said: “After a tough few months for hospitality, the warm weather has given managed pubs a very bright start to the second quarter. It is hopefully a sign that some consumers are spending a little more freely, though a disappointing month for restaurants suggests others were simply switching from eating out to drinking out. Ongoing high costs for operators, including through heavy new labour bills from April, continue to pile pressure on margins—but while the sun continues to shine, pubs with outdoor spaces can expect trade to remain strong.”
Saxon Moseley, head of leisure and hospitality at RSM UK, said: “The headline growth in like-for-like sales will be celebrated by operators who have endured a contraction in trading since the start of the year. This uptick may signal a shift in consumer behaviour as improving weather and greater opportunities to socialise begin to drive spending. Pubs were the clear winners from the spring sunshine, but other parts of the hospitality sector can also take encouragement from the broader rise in activity. However, consumer confidence remains fragile, so recovery is far from assured. Cost pressures remain acute with food inflation outpacing general inflation in April, but for the first time this year there is cautious optimism that revenue growth may ease these concerns.”
CGA by NIQ collected sales figures directly from 117 leading managed groups for April’s edition of the CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker, which provides authoritative monthly insights into Britain’s restaurant, pub and bar sales. Companies participating in the Tracker receive a fuller breakdown of trading that helps to benchmark performance and understand market trends. To join the cohort, contact Andrew Dean at andy.dean@nielseniq.com
Participants in the CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker: Adventure Leisure Ltd, All Star Lanes, Amber Taverns, Anglian Country Inns, Arc Inspirations, Azzurri Group (Ask Italian, Coco di Mama, Zizzi), Barburrito, Barworks, Beds and Bars, Big Fang Collective, Big Table Group (Banana Tree Restaurants, Bella Italia, Chiquito, Frankie & Benny’s, Las Iguanas), Bill’s Restaurants, Bleecker St Burger, Boom Battle Bar, Boston Tea Party, Boxpark, BrewDog, Burger & Lobster, Buzzworks Holdings Group, Byron, Chance and Counters, Coaching Inn Group Ltd, Comptoir Group Plc, Cote Restaurants, Creams Café, D & D London, Darwin & Wallace, Dishoom, Five Guys, Fortnum & Mason, Fuller Smith & Turner, Gaucho Grill, Giggling Squid, Glendola Leisure, Gordon Ramsay Restaurants, Greene King (Chef & Brewer, Hungry Horse, Flaming Grill), Gusto Restaurants, Hall & Woodhouse, Hawthorn Leisure, Heartwood Collection, Honest Burgers, HOP Vietnamese, Individual Restaurants, Junkyard Golf Club, Kibou, Laine Pub Co, Lane 7, Le Bistrot Pierre, Liberation, Lina Stores, Loungers, Lucky Voice, Marston’s, McMullen & Sons Ltd, Megans, Mildreds, Mission Mars, Mitchells & Butlers (Harvester, Toby, Miller & Carter, All Bar One), MJMK Restaurants, Mojo Bar, Mowgli, Nando’s Restaurants, Neos Hospitality, New World Trading Company, Nightcap Plc, North Brewing Co, NQ64 Arcade Bars, Oakman Inns, Parogon Pub Group, Peach Pubs, Pho, Pizza Express, Pizza Hut UK, Popeyes, Portobello Starboard Ltd, Prezzo, Public House Group, Punch Pub Co, Revolution Bars, Rick Stein Restaurants, Riley’s, Rosa’s Thai, Roxy Leisure, San Carlo, Shepherd Neame, Simmons Bars Group, Snug Bar, Southern Wind Group (Fazenda), St Austell, Star Pubs & Bars, State of Play Hospitality, Stonegate Pub Co (Slug & Lettuce, Yates’, Walkabout, Bermondsey Pub Company), Tasty Plc, TGI Fridays UK, The Alchemist, The Restaurant Group, Thunderbird Fried Chicken, Tonkotsu, Topgolf Ltd, Tortilla, Tossed, Treetop Golf, True North Brew Co, Turtle Bay, Upham Pub Co, Urban Pubs & Bars, Various Eateries (Strada, Coppa Club), Village Hotels, Wagamama, Wasabi, Wells & Co, Whitbread (Beefeater, Brewers Fayre, Table Table), Wingstop, YO! Sushi, Young’s and Yummy Collection.
