Wed 22nd Jan 2025 - December delivers growth for hospitality groups after late festive surge for pubs December delivers growth for hospitality groups after late festive surge for pubs: Britain’s leading restaurant, pub and bar groups achieved solid year-on-year sales growth of 3.2% in December 2024, the latest CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker reveals. The like-for-like figure is the tracker’s highest point since May and is just above Britain’s general rate of inflation. It represents a solid performance for the sector over the crucial month of December, which brought a surge in consumer spending in the final fortnight. The tracker shows total sales growth in the month was notably higher at 5.2%, reflecting a steady stream of new managed restaurant, pub and bar openings over the last 12 months. Pub groups enjoyed the best December, with like-for-like sales were 4.7% ahead of December 2023, while restaurants’ growth was more muted at 1.6%. Elsewhere, bars bounced back from soft trading throughout most of 2024 to post growth of 1.3% while the on-the-go segment dropped 1.2%. December trading in London comfortably outpaced the rest of the country, with managed groups’ sales inside the M25 up 4.6% year-on-year, while venues further afield rose 2.8%. Karl Chessell, director hospitality operators and food EMEA at CGA by NIQ, said: “After a modest performance through most of 2024, real-terms growth in December was a big relief for the hospitality sector. The late festive sales show people remain eager to celebrate special occasions in pubs, bars and restaurants, and provide a welcome buffer for the much quieter months of the year.” Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, added: “December is the most important month of trading for most hospitality businesses, and was even more critical in 2024 as the sector faces £3.4bn in added cost in April. Real-terms sales growth as a whole is encouraging, but with performance varying quite significantly across the sector, it is unlikely to be enough to increase business confidence heading into a challenging year.”