The start of the World Cup, alongside menu and bar price increases, helped deliver a strong November for pub groups, where LFL sales rose by 8.1% year-on-year. In contrast, restaurant groups saw like-for-like sales slip 0.8% against November 2021. Sales in the bars segment were down 8.6%. 

The exclusive monitor (formerly Coffer Peach) was also ahead of pre-pandemic comparatives for the 10th month in a row, recording like-for-like growth of 5.0% compared with November 2019. However, with the Consumer Price Index now showing inflation of more than 11% in the last 12 months alone, hospitality’s sales are significantly down in real terms.

The Tracker, produced by CGA by NielsenIQ in partnership with The Coffer Group and RSM UK, also showed that London’s hospitality sector continued to improve after its initial slower recovery post-pandemic. November LFL sales within the M25 grew by 6.2% year-on-year—twice the rate of 3.0% outside the M25.

Karl Chessell, director, hospitality operators and food, EMEA at CGA, said: “It was a positive November for pubs screening World Cup matches, and another strong month for London as workers and visitors continue to return to the capital, especially ahead of the festive season. But with restaurants and bars trading way behind the rate of inflation, consumer spending under strain and rail strikes threatening festive footfall, it will be a challenging December for managed groups. Spiralling costs leave many hospitality businesses extremely fragile, and with little respite in sight there is a strong case for urgent and targeted government support to protect businesses and jobs.”

CGA collected sales figures directly from 79 leading companies for the latest edition of the Coffer CGA Business Tracker.