The latest sales data from S4labour has revealed that hospitality sales were up 11.6% overall in March, compared to the same month last year.   

Outside of London, sales saw an increase of 13.4% year-on-year, ahead of the capital which saw a marginal uplift of 4.1%. 

Across the country, sales in dry-led sites were up 12.4% and 10.2% in wet-led businesses. 

Chief Growth Officer at S4labour, Richard Hartley, added: “This year, March was a five-weekend month and Easter was earlier, so March saw the trading of Good Friday and the rest of Easter weekend. As a result of the bank holiday and additional weekend, an increase was to be expected, albeit it is still a pleasant surprise to see them up by over 11%. The increase here, and in February (3.5%), are indicators of a promising start to 2024.” 

The latest sales data from S4labour has revealed that hospitality sales were up 3.5% overall in February, compared to the same month last year.  

This uplift was driven by sales in London, which saw an increase of 8.5% overall. Outside of the capital, overall sales were up 2.3% year-on-year.  

Wet-led sites across the country saw a decline of 0.2%, however, dry-led sites were up 5.6%.  

Chief Growth Officer at S4labour, Richard Hartley, commented: “This year being a leap year meant that there was an additional day of trading in February, which has played its part in the year-on-year increase, though it is not entirely responsible for the uplift.”  

Data from S4labour has revealed that year-on-year sales were down 2.6% in January across the hospitality sector, compared to the same month last year.  

Sales saw a decline of 1.3% in London and a slightly bigger drop of 2.9% outside of the capital. Wet-led sites were the driving force behind the decline, with sales falling by 8.1%, in comparison to the 0.4% uplift in dry-led sites.  

S4labour’s Chief Growth Officer, Richard Hartley, commented: “Despite high inflation levels, and therefore high prices, sales are in decline, indicating that volumes are down. Operators up and down the country are feeling the strain of rising cost pressures, as people’s disposable income is not what it once was.”  

December 2023 vs. December 2022

Recent data released from S4labour shows an 11.1% increase in overall sales in December, compared to the same month in 2022.

In London, sales were up 14.2%, whilst areas outside of London saw 10.5% growth year-on-year. Dry-led sites were the driving force behind the overall increase, with sales up 13.9% compared to a more modest uplift of 7.3% in wet-led sites.

Richard Hartley, Chief Growth Officer at S4labour, commented: “In part, this increase is due to the train strikes that took place at the end of 2022, which impacted December sales and left a lower base point. Nonetheless, this consistent growth across the country reflects our industry’s dedication to customer satisfaction, even in challenging market conditions. Christmas has brought a much-welcomed boost to sales, which is a positive start to offsetting costs as operators continue to battle inflation, as well as the upcoming wage increases in April.

This decline was driven by sites outside of London, with sales dropping by 2.5%, whilst London saw a moderate increase of 3%. October also marks the first time since March that overall sales have been down.  

S4labour’s Chief Growth Officer, Richard Hartley, commented: “As we begin the run up to Christmas, this downward trend is not what we would have hoped for, especially considering last month’s staggering 9.6% growth. Only two out of the ten months so far this year have seen a decline, so we are optimistic that as celebrations begin over November and December, we will start to see some positive figures again.”