UK hospitality spending slows in June but Cardiff shines
Despite June’s heatwave, pub and bar spending slipped 1% – but Cardiff bucked the trend, pouring 811,000 pints as Oasis kicked off its comeback tour. Cultural moments such as these are golden opportunities, says Oxford Partnership COO Margot West, but venues must be ready with the right offer.
While UK hospitality trading slumped in June, the kick-off of Oasis’ reunion tour saw spending surge in Cardiff (the location of the band’s first comeback show), according to Oxford Partnership’s June Market Watch Snapshot report.
A burst of hot weather in June did little to tempt punters into pub gardens, with spending in pubs and bars falling 1% year-on-year and down 3.5% compared with May 2025.
In restaurants, spending ticked up year-on-year by 0.9%, but slid 1.7% compared to May 2025.
Overall, growth in drinks and food spend trailed behind CPIH inflation of 4%, piling margin pressure on operators already battling rising costs.
But Cardiff was a local success story, with back-to-back Oasis concerts on 4 and 5 July boosting trade by 56% versus the previous weekend.
On average, city-centre venues poured 1,477 pints, totalling 811,000 pints across Cardiff, as the band kicked off a reunion tour with their first shows in 16 years.
And recent data by takepayments found that if every concertgoer were to buy a single pint, average pricing across the tour would push the total spend into the multi-million-pound range
How can hospitality capitalise on cultural events?
The Oxford Partnership chief executive Alison Jordan said: “We saw the ‘Swift Effect’ in full force last summer [when Taylor Swift performed live shows] and now Cardiff has felt its own ‘Supersonic Surge’…
Partner Content
“Oasis didn’t just bring the music; they delivered a full cultural moment that lit up the city and sent tills ringing.
“From packed pubs to soaring pint sales, it’s a powerful reminder that major cultural events fuel hospitality in a big way, driving real economic impact and unforgettable nights out.”
Speaking to the drinks business, Oxford Partnerships chief operating officer Margot West said venues could capitalise on cultural moments by running related events. This could look like gigs for those who didn’t bag tickets, hosting Oasis tribute bands or Oasis-themed open mic nights.
She said: “The opportunities are obvious – higher footfall into outlets due to the sheer number of people in the area. The challenges are outlets making sure they are geared up for it and have the right range and offering. Special attention should be given to speed of service when the footfall is so much higher.”
Trending categories
The market continued to shift in other ways, with the UK’s total number of hospitality outlets falling by 0.7% year-to-date.
The performance of various drinks categories pointed to evolving consumer tastes. World and premium lagers, low-alcohol beer, and cider saw strong sales, whereas core lager and craft beer continued to struggle.
Speaking to db, West credited the ‘premium’ category’s growth to brand familiarity and lower price points, whereas she believed the popularity of ‘world lager’ was down to drinkers seeking a more premium experience.
“Operators are working hard to adapt to these pressures and shifting behaviours,” added Jordan. “This month’s snapshot shows both the challenges and the real opportunities that lie in driving quality experiences and supporting events that bring people together.”
Related news
Orma and Oreno: ‘Sometimes we take a little bit of the fashion world’
