Easter Boosts UK On-Trade as Footfall and Dwell Time Rise

The UK on-trade delivered a strong performance over the Easter 2026 Bank Holiday weekend, with increased footfall and longer visits driving meaningful volume growth across pubs, according to new data from The Oxford Partnership.

Across the five-day period, pubs sold 32.9 million pints, up 4.9% year-on-year from 31.3 million in 2025. This equates to an average of 983 pints per pub, generating approximately £5,185 per venue and underlining the commercial importance of extended holiday trading windows.

A key driver of this uplift was a shift in consumer behaviour, with average dwell time rising to 153 minutes, up from 147 minutes last year. This reflects a continued move towards more intentional, experience-led occasions, as consumers made the most of the long weekend.
Occupancy also edged up to 65.4%, signalling steady gains in footfall alongside improved engagement.

The increase in dwell time was consistent across all venue types, with rural pubs recording the longest visits at 156 minutes, highlighting their appeal as destination venues. City centre and urban locations continued to benefit from strong footfall, while suburban venues also saw notable increases, suggesting a broader shift towards longer, more social visits across the market.

Category performance revealed a market increasingly driven by premium and distinctive choices. Stout emerged as the standout performer, surging 23.1% year-on-year, while World Lager grew 6.1% and Premium Lager rose 3.4%. In contrast, more mainstream segments such as Core Lager and Premium 4% declined by 2.0%, indicating ongoing pressure on traditional, volume-led offerings.

Overall rate of sale increased by 4.7%, reflecting the combined impact of higher footfall and longer dwell times, and reinforcing the resilience of the on-trade when supported by strong consumer occasions.

Commenting on the findings, Alison Jordan, CEO of The Oxford Partnership said: “Easter 2026 highlights a clear shift in how consumers are engaging with the on-trade. We are seeing more deliberate, experience-led visits, with people staying longer and making more of the occasion. This is translating into tangible volume growth for operators. What is particularly encouraging is the strength of premium and distinctive categories such as stout and world lager, which continue to outperform. It underlines the importance for operators and suppliers of aligning their offer with evolving consumer preferences, especially during key trading moments like Easter.”

The data suggests that incremental gains in both footfall and dwell time are combining to deliver sustained growth, pointing to a market that is increasingly driven by quality, occasion and experience.