The figures, drawn from Dojo Bookings across UK hospitality venues, track reservations made in December, as well as Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve bookings made before 1 December.
Xmas day
Christmas Day remains a bright spot, with bookings up 4% year on year. Manchester, Glasgow and Bolton saw some of the strongest increases, rising 36%, 26% and 22% respectively. Worcester was another strong performer, up 35%.
London, however, recorded an 8% decline in Christmas Day reservations.
The week commencing 8 December is the most popular for Christmas parties, accounting for 34% of all festive bookings.
The update comes as data shows the average price of a three-course festive menu has risen to £36.
New Year’s Eve bookings have edged up 1%, though several major cities have seen notable declines, including Edinburgh down 46%, Birmingham down 23% and London down 7%. Large group bookings of ten or more remain flat year on year.
Shifting behaviours
Dojo noted shifts in customer behaviour, with 7pm bookings up 14% and an unexpected rise in early afternoon reservations at 1pm, up 20%.
Dojo’s head of insights, Charlie Ashworth, said the figures underline the challenging trading backdrop.
“While a reduction in Christmas party bookings indicates further choppy roads ahead for hospitality businesses, there is still the potential that many have left bookings late as we get closer to Christmas,” he said.
“The hospitality businesses that succeed this season will be the ones ready to respond quickly to this potential late demand. Reliable systems, flexible staffing and payment technology that works without interruption will be ever more essential when customers either book last minute or walk in.”
