Leeds and York see biggest rise in restaurant and bar trade in the country

Restaurant and bar trade in two of Yorkshire’s cities have grown at the highest rate in the country for midweek days, new research shows.
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An analysis of leading bars and restaurants in some of the UK’s major cities has shown that Monday-Thursday spend in Leeds has increased by 19.6 per cent over the last four years, with York not far behind on 17.9 per cent - the two fastest growing cities in the UK.

Growth in trade in both Leeds and York far outstripped that of London which was rated as being seven per cent, something researchers said was an indicator that the cities were moving away from being known as stag and hen do hotspots and that the cities were progressing towards being 24 hour economies.

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The analysis, conducted by Northern Restaurant & Bar (NRB), the North’s hospitality trade exhibition, shows that the weekly leisure patterns of major northern cities were rebalancing generally.

North Bar, LeedsNorth Bar, Leeds
North Bar, Leeds

NRB said that there was an increasing variety of audiences driving ‘mid-week’ pub, restaurant and bar sales increases, establishing a seven day trading pattern which is closer to that of London’s.

The data was provided by CGA, the industry-leading food and drink data insights company.

Thom Hetherington, chief executive of NRB said that cities such as Leeds traditionally did the bulk of their trade at weekends as revellers and diners headed in from surrounding satellite towns, but that this pattern was changing.

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He said: “Restaurants and bars in cities like Manchester and Leeds traditionally did the vast majority of their business on the weekend, as drinkers and diners flooded in from regional towns and suburbs, whereas weekdays could be very quiet.

York City CentreYork City Centre
York City Centre

“This move towards ‘seven day’ socialising is welcome as it makes it much easier for restaurants and bars to manage stock and staff and evens out cashflow.”

Mr Hetherington went on to say that “seven day socialising” had for a long time been viewed as something unique to the capital but that the picture in the likes of Leeds, York and Manchester was different to that seen in London.

“It’s not about London per se,” he said.

“But seven day socialising is clearly a good aspiration, and is an indicator of the commercial strength, balance and resilience of a city. It implies it has more than just a weekend party scene, with a strong commercial sector, city centre residents, and business and leisure tourism for a variety of attractions and events all driving spend and socialising throughout the week.”

El Gato NegroEl Gato Negro
El Gato Negro
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Simon Shaw, chef patron and creative director of El Gato Negro in Leeds added: “Thanks to a combination of factors – a rise in city centre dwelling, changing lifestyles, improved transport links, business growth and tourism - seen a shift in patterns, with a notable uplift in sustained mid-week business.

"You can see it here in Leeds, not just on an evening but during the day too; it’s a positive development and one that only looks to grow.”

Liz Cottam, who runs the The Owl pub and HOME in Leeds said she was “not surprised” by the NRB findings.

“People are cooking more at home and when eating out or drinking out they expect that little bit more or expect an experience,” she said.

Liz Cottom - The OwlLiz Cottom - The Owl
Liz Cottom - The Owl
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“Ten years ago, people didn’t know what a tasting menu was and the hot eating out tickets were places like Jamie’s Italian.

“We now have a more discerning audience. Culturally we interact with food and drink differently, people are seeing it more as integrated what they do rather than letting off steam on a weekend.

“More about the experiences and the finer things in life.

“At The Owl we are finding that more people want that quality lunch midweek, and at HOME our Wednesday and Thursday nights are fully booked so far in advance.”

And Christian Townsley, co-founder North Bar and North Brewing Co, said: “Since opening North Brewing City Tap we’ve seen strong sales throughout the week.

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"It’s fantastic to see people socialising and we believe it’s indicative of a real boom in Leeds as a city.

"We’ve a brilliant array of excellent bars and restaurants, more city centre living and growth in the business sector attracting companies like Channel 4.

"Leeds is unrecognisable to what it was when we opened the original North Bar in 1997 and while weekends inevitably draw more people into the city Leeds has much more to offer.”