Household leisure spend grows 12% in July

Drinking out accounted for 23% of average household spend, which is its highest share since the Leisure Spend Tracker started. Eating out spend in July grew at the same rate as it did in June.

Average household spend on other leisure activities grew 18% to £80.88.

Eating out’s share of the leisure spend declined by three percentage points to 37% despite growth in spend, due to greater month-on-month growth in household spend on drinking and other leisure activities.

Regional breakdown​

The report says that households in London and the south east increased their leisure spend by a similar amount to those in the rest of Britain, by £25 and £21 respectively, “indicating that the recovery continues to take hold across the country”.

However, growth on eating out spend was driven primarily by households in London and the south east, where they grew by £14 to £90. Elsewhere in Britain, spending levels were maintained at £70.

Households with and without children showed modest increases in their spend on eating out in July against June; both increased spend by £4 to £82 and £74 respectively.

The trend for drinking out was slightly different, with growth lower in London and the south east compared to elsewhere in Britain (+£5 and +£6 respectively). Households without kids increased their spend slightly more than those without (+£7 against +£5 respectively).

'Staycations remain strong'​

Steve Jebson, Greene King commercial director, said: “The summer holidays are now upon us and July’s leisure spending showed that other leisure, which includes activities such as bowling, cinema and live events, blazed a trail as households entertained their kids. Family households led the growth in total leisure spending in July, with these households increasing their leisure spend by 19%, or £40, compared to June. 

“We also believe that, despite the growth in the number of those planning a trip abroad this year, the demand for ‘staycations’ remains strong.”

Households in London and the south east were the only group to see spend on eating out account for a greater share of their total leisure spend month-on-month (moving from accounting for 36% of spend in June to 38% in July) and also the only group to see spend on other leisure activities account for less of their total leisure spend (moving from 44% in June to 42% in July).