Horizons – more people eating out over Christmas, but spend down: A modest climb in the number of people eating out over Christmas 2015 suggests that the sector is now back into a period of gradual growth following a stall in its recovery last summer, reports insights firm Horizons. In June 2015 respondents to the same YouGov/Horizons survey showed a year-on-year decline of two percentage points in eating out, with 69% of respondents saying they had done so in the previous two weeks of the survey, compared with 71% in June 2014. According to Horizons’ latest Eating Out-Look, conducted online by YouGov, nearly three-quarters of respondents (72%) to the survey said they had eaten out in the previous two weeks, [Christmas 2015] a rise of one percentage point on December 2014 when 71% of people had done so. The frequency that respondents were eating out over the two-week Christmas period was also up, from 1.94 times in December 2014 to 2.04 times in December 2015. However, average spend amongst respondents was down, dropping to £14.07 in December 2015 from £14.48 in December 2014. This decrease was evident across all age groups, except over 55s, who spend the most at £15.61, up from £13.84 last year. “The number of respondents eating out has risen marginally, but the frequency figure shows that people who do dine out are doing so more often, spending less when they do – even over the festive period,” said Horizons’ analyst Liz Land. “This is unusual as typically people spend more money eating out over Christmas than at other times of the year. With snacking and lunching mentioned by more respondents, it seems that spend is being spread over a greater number of dining out occasions.” This year for the first time special occasion was not mentioned by respondents as being the most common reason for eating out (27%), with the most frequently mentioned reason being meeting friends (30%), convenience (28%), and simply because they didn’t want to cook (22%). While dinner remains the predominant eating out mealtime, slightly more respondents said they were having snacks, breakfast or lunch out, than they did six months previously (11% vs 10% respectively), while those eating dinner out had decreased slightly over the past six months (62% vs 63% respectively). Younger people showed particularly healthy levels of eating out over the Christmas period 2015, when some 80% of the 18-24 year old respondents to the survey had done so. However while they had eaten out an average of 3.05 times over the previous two weeks, younger people were amongst the lowest spenders at an average of £12.15 (including drinks). Of the 27% of respondents who said they had not eaten out over the previous two weeks, many (29%) cited their reason as being they were at home with family and friends, as well as expense being a common factor (27%), Another 9% said they hadn’t eaten out because they believed they could eat better and more healthily at home.

Deltic Group buys Gatecrasher site in Birmingham: The UK’s largest bars and club operator, The Deltic Group has acquired the former Gatecraser site in Birmingham and plans to invest £1.4 million in launching a new Pryzm club in Birmingham city centre. The former Gatecrasher site on Broad Street will be refurbished to develop a new multi-room venue, creating over 50 new jobs. Commenting on the announcement, which will be Deltic’s first venue in the city, chief executive, Peter Marks, said: “We have been keen to have a presence in Birmingham for some time now and are delighted to have acquired this landmark site. We are extremely excited to bring Pryzm to the city, which will offer a fantastic clubbing experience with outstanding levels of customer service and headline acts from around the world.” Pryzm Birmingham is due to open in the summer. It will combine multiple dance rooms with the latest in sound and lighting technology, together with luxury VIP booths, table service and bespoke bar experiences. The club will be part of The Deltic Group which operates 58 bars and clubs across the UK, employing more than 3,000 people. Gatecrasher closed last year after a stabbing inside the premises and an alleged violent brawl involving security staff. The 2,400 capacity club had been warned six weeks previously that it was in the “last chance saloon” after a customer was attacked by a bouncer in August. After the stabbing there was an alleged confrontation between security staff and an aggressive “man in a glittery top” who was with a group of friends.