- Hospitality sales dip 0.2 per cent in February.
- Restaurants and bars see sharper declines than pubs.
- Energy cost fears linked to Middle East tensions add pressure.
The UK hospitality sector saw a slight dip in sales in February, as wet weather kept customers at home and added to an already slow start to the year.
Figures from NIQ’s hospitality business tracker show like-for-like sales fell 0.2 per cent compared with February 2025. That follows a 0.1 per cent drop in January, suggesting the sector is still struggling to regain momentum. The data points to a challenging environment for hospitality businesses, with both consumer behaviour and external pressures playing a role.
The slowdown comes at a time when operators are also watching global developments closely, particularly concerns that the Iran conflict could push up energy costs in the months ahead.
When the weather keeps customers away
February’s unusually wet conditions appear to have had a clear impact. England recorded rainfall levels 42 per cent above average, and that seems to have translated into fewer people heading out to eat or drink.
Restaurants were among the hardest hit, with like-for-like sales down 1.1 per cent year on year. Bars saw an even sharper fall of 4.1 per cent. Pubs, however, managed to hold steady, recording a 1 per cent increase and marking their 13th consecutive month of growth.
Karl Chessell, director of hospitality operators and food at NIQ, reportedly said the figures reflect a pattern that is becoming familiar for the sector. He noted that modest growth overall, alongside flat or declining like-for-like sales, is increasingly the norm, adding that venues remain heavily dependent on weather conditions for footfall.
Despite the dip in comparable sales, total sales including new openings rose 2.9 per cent, broadly keeping pace with inflation, which stood at 3 per cent in January.
Energy worries loom over recovery hopes
Looking ahead, the sector may be hoping that seasonal events such as Mother’s Day, St Patrick’s Day and the Easter holidays bring a lift in customer numbers.
However, there are growing concerns that rising energy costs could offset any gains. Industry figures have already warned that hospitality businesses, particularly independents on short-term energy contracts, could face sharp cost increases if global supply pressures intensify.
The chief executive of JD Wetherspoon has suggested that higher energy costs could eventually be reflected in the price of drinks, adding to the burden on consumers.
Saxon Moseley, head of leisure and hospitality at RSM UK, reportedly said past experience shows how quickly confidence can fall during periods of rising costs. He pointed to the 2022 energy crisis as an example, noting that recovery can be slow once spending habits shift.
He added that if current global tensions continue, businesses could face rising costs across food, logistics and utilities, which may lead to both higher prices and weaker demand later in the year.
For now, the sector appears to be balancing cautious optimism around seasonal demand with ongoing uncertainty over costs and consumer confidence.
