Your venue faces a test this December. Customers are choosing carefully.
Nearly 1 in 3 UK adults visited a competitive socialising venue in the past year. Among those who go, 41% now return at least once a month, up from 35% last year. That sounds positive until you see the other side.
Consumer spending has slowed, with average spend dipping. Participation has increased to about 30%, but visit frequency remains low, averaging just around 2 visits per year. The repeat customers are spending more often but the rest barely come at all.
Entertainment spending increased by 4.7% in October 2025. The money exists. People just won't waste it on mediocre experiences.
60% of customers want competitive socialising, while only 44% of venues offer it. There's a gap between what people want and what most venues deliver.
Three in five consumers say they're more likely to visit a pub or bar if it offers an activity. The demand is there but customers have become ruthless about value.
Looking ahead to Q4, eating out is expected to see a decline of 5.7 percentage points, drinking in pubs and bars down 1.9 percentage points. Despite Q4 being the festive season, these projected declines suggest consumers are likely to be highly selective with their discretionary spending.
Working from home changed everything. Friday isn't the big office night anymore. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday now drive the most corporate traffic. If you haven't adapted, you're losing bookings.
They nail food and beverage. When done well, F&B revenue exceeds game revenue. Most venues still treat food as secondary. Big mistake.
They make booking frictionless. Every extra click costs conversions.
Combo venues offering multiple activities grew 455% over the past five years, while single activity venues grew 162%. Customers want variety and longer dwell times.
Over a third of competitive socialising customers say they're visiting more often than 12 months ago. But that's just the engaged segment. The broader market remains cautious.
Underinvested venues with weak positioning are disappearing. Brand identity and quality execution matters.
30% of consumers chose not to go out to eat during last year's festive period because it was too expensive, with a fifth sharing they had less disposable income. The opportunity exists. But only for venues that deliver genuine value.
43% of consumers are still finding ways to treat themselves regularly, even when on a budget. Customers have money for experiences. They want to celebrate. They want to book corporate events.
You can't control the economy. But you can control whether your venue delivers an experience worth paying for.
Get in touch, or book a demo, to see how Re-venue can identify hidden revenue opportunities in your existing booking data
Sources: Gamechangers, Mintel, Barclays, ResDiary. CGA, Deloitte, Menzies LLP, Menzies LLP, Savills, Gamechangers, Savills, Morning Advertiser, Barclays.
Mentions: Gamechangers Organisation