Editor’s Viewpoint: Good News — And Goodness, Don’t We Need It

By Peter Adams, Editor, CLH News
Let’s be honest — we could all do with a dose of good news right now.

So it is genuinely heartening to see the data coming through from The Oxford Partnership and Barclays that underpins our front page story this issue.

Once again, the UK’s hospitality and licensed on-trade sector is demonstrating that remarkable quality that defines it above almost any other industry: resilience.

Yes, drinks volumes remain broadly flat. Yes, operators are navigating a cost environment that would test the patience of a saint — much of it, I hasten to add, a direct consequence of government policy rather than any failing of the sector itself.

And yet, across nearly 100,000 active venues, consumers are still walking through the door. They are still sitting down. And critically, they are staying longer.

Average dwell time now stands at 145 minutes. Think about that for a moment. In an age of social media, on-demand streaming and instant everything, people are choosing to spend nearly two and a half hours in a pub, bar or restaurant. That is not a small thing. That is a statement.
It makes me ask: is this a sign that we crave face-to-face contact?

I rather think it is. And where better to find it than a great hospitality venue? There is something profoundly human about sitting across a table from another person, sharing a drink or a meal, away from the noise of a screen.

Our industry provides that. It always has. Long may it continue. In an age of social media and on-demand streaming, people are choosing to spend nearly two and a half hours in a pub, bar or restaurant. That is not a small thing. That is a statement.”

I know these positives may feel like small comfort to operators who are, to borrow a phrase, paddling their canoe through an almighty economic storm.

The numbers show a market that is holding together — but the pressure on margins remains intense and the challenges are real. Nobody should minimise that. What the data does tell us, however, is that all is far from lost. The sector is not in retreat. It is adapting.

Looking ahead, I have a strong suspicion that 2025 will shape up to be a bumper year for staycations — and that can only be good news for domestic hospitality.

The situation in the Middle East, the resulting volatility in oil prices, and rising international flight costs are already shifting consumer behaviour.
Three factors in particular stand out: a significant drop in demand for overseas travel to the Middle East and Mediterranean, the rising cost of international flights, and a marked increase in consumer risk-aversion when it comes to travel planning.

Together, these point strongly towards a domestic tourism bounce. Operators with accommodation, in particular, would be wise to position accordingly.

Before I close, a very well-deserved shout-out to Wetherspoon, who have announced they have raised a staggering £26 million for their chosen charity.

What an extraordinary achievement. It is, genuinely, one of the great joys of this job — celebrating stories like this.

Pub and restaurant groups, individual operators, small venues and large chains alike: our sector gives back, constantly and generously, to the communities it serves and to causes that matter.

So please — keep them coming. If your venue, your group, your team has done something worth celebrating, we want to hear about it. Good news stories are never in short supply in this industry, and we are always delighted to share them.

Until next time — stay resilient, stay positive, and keep the welcome light on.

I can always be contacted at edit@catererlicensee.com