Brits spend nearly £4k per year on nights out, study reveals
Despite cost-of-living pressures, Brits aren’t strangers to a good time, splashing nearly £4,000 each year (£3,776) at nightclubs, bars and pubs, according to a new study from credit card brand Aqua.
This comes after the drinks business reported that UK consumers are going out less often, but staying longer, and opting for more premium drinks, when they do.
The new research from Aqua, which revealed how Brits are spending on lifestyle, found that 35 to 44-year-olds are the biggest spenders, averaging £471 a month, or £5,652 per year.
More than a third of Brits (35%) have spent money going to a bar or pub in the last 12 months, while 9% have spent money going to a club.
But it’s eating out that tops the list of lifestyle categories, with more than half of Brits indulging in restaurants and takeaways. Restaurants are at the top of the list, with 56% of people spending money in this category over the past 12 months.
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This is closely followed by travel and holidays (51%), suggesting that despite ongoing economic pressures, dining experiences and time away remain central to the way Brits choose to reward themselves.
Spending split
Previously speaking to db, Vasile Sicu, head bartender at Manifest Restaurant and Bar in Liverpool, said he’d seen guests veer from ‘over-the-top’ drinking and generic bar experiences, instead looking for high-quality drinks and healthier options.
He said: “Craft cocktails, low-alcohol or alcohol-free drinks, and locally made beers are popular because they feel special. Bars with good vibes, cool design, and a sense of story or community are winning over loud, crowded, impersonal spots. It’s less about getting wasted and more about enjoying the night in a fun, meaningful and memorable way.”
Aqua commercial director Sharvan Selvam said that while categories like travel and entertainment remain popular, it’s lifestyle-led spending on fashion, tech and personal development that is “quietly eating up the biggest share of monthly budgets”.
