Sunshine and rugby deliver sales conversion

Pubs and bars enjoyed a much needed dose of vitamin D over the weekend of 8 and 9 March, as the combination of sport and sunshine increased sales across the industry.

Data from The Oxford Partnership's Market Watch revealed a notable increases in sales, footfall and draught beer and cider consumption across pubs and bars, with sales growing by 10.6% compared to the same weekend in 2024 and by 27.7% than the average weekend this year.

This surge in sales was fuelled by the Men's Six Nations tournament and favourable weather, which encouraged higher footfall. One operator told Pub & Bar that Saturday 8 March was an all time record 24 hours for their pub.

Over the weekend, 34.1m pints were sold, with the average pub serving 902 pints over three days and generating £4,581 in revenue.

Pubs sold an additional 87 pints on average compared to 2024, with Scottish fans leading the charge at +90 pints, English fans following at +43 pints, while Welsh fans saw a slight decline at -4 pints.

When it came to the pints that were being consumed, world lager emerged as the standout performer, growing +24.6% year-on-year and now accounting for 18% of all draught sales. Other drink categories also performed well, with stout up 15.5%, apple cider growing 16.2%, fruit cider increasing 19.5%, and premium lager rising 13.8%. 

"These figures highlight the powerful impact of major sporting events and good weather on UK hospitality," says Alison Jordan, CEO of The Oxford Partnership. "With the Six Nations driving footfall and increased consumer spending, the sector is enjoying strong momentum despite wider economic pressures. Our data shows that sports-led occasions continue to provide valuable opportunities for pubs and bars to maximise sales and engagement."

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