2025 Pub Industry Report - UK and Ireland Pubs and Bars Statistics

Discover the latest pub industry statistics, insights, and trends to help your venue thrive.

DesignMyNight's 2025 Pub Industry Report is your go-to guide for understanding the current landscape of pubs and bars in the UK and Ireland.

Whether you're a seasoned pub operator aiming to optimise business performance, a group hospitality manager looking to future-proof your operation, or a new entrepreneur wanting to understand the current landscape, this report delivers expert insight grounded in real data.

Here's a sneak peak of what you can find in DesignMyNight's 2025 Pub Industry Report:

What's inside the 2025 Pub Industry Report?

• The most relevant UK pub statistics and consumer habits
• Key pub and bar insights to inform your strategy
• How pubs and bars in UK are overcoming rising costs, staffing challenges, and evolving customer expectations
• Why venue hire, marketing, and live events are crucial to future success
• The growing tech gap between independent pubs and hospitality groups
• What customers really want from UK pubs and bars
  
  

Why does this report matter?

This isn’t just a collection of pub industry statistics, it's an action plan. Inside, you’ll find:

✅ First-party data on customer behaviour and venue performance
✅ Tools and strategies to help improve footfall and profitability
✅ Insights into how UK pubs and bars can close the gap between consumer expectations and current offerings
✅ Marketing and tech recommendations designed to help you stand out

Whether you're exploring bar industry statistics to plan for venue growth, or need hard data from pub statistics to support your new promotional ideas, this is the industry benchmark: a roadmap for recovery, innovation, and success. 

Key takeaways include:

• 47% of operators expect increased footfall in the next 12 months 📊
• 22% are still struggling to balance the books 📉
• 59% of customers want to order and pay via phone — but only 27% of venues offer it💡
• 51% of customers want personalised offers — only 38% of venues deliver 🎯
• Events, tech, and marketing remain untapped opportunities for many 🎉

We know it’s been challenging, but it seems pubs and bars can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel

"Let’s be honest, it’s not been smooth sailing for pubs and bars in the UK and Ireland over recent years. According to data from the British Beer and Pub Association, nearly 300 pubs closed in England and Wales alone in 2024. That’s almost six a week. In Ireland, pubs have closed at a rate of over 100 venues a year since 2005, with numbers spiking during the COVID-19 pandemic.

These numbers are enough to worry anyone - but that doesn’t mean we have to take them sitting down. DesignMyNight has been a champion of bars and pubs since its inception, so we thought what better way to help than to ask you how you actually feel and provide actionable strategies to support your success?

So, with that in mind, we surveyed 183 venue operators and 186 consumers around the UK and Ireland, and discovered that better times may not be far away. There’s a wealth of opportunity to grow your business in the coming years.

Many operators already feel this optimism, with 34% expecting steady year-on-year footfall, and 47% expecting footfall to increase in the next 12 months. 

How can you ensure your business is part of those numbers?, Well, we’ve identified a few key focus areas:

• Understanding how and why customers visit pubs and bars, so you can better align your service with their needs.
• Closing the gap between the expectations of your customers and what your venue currently offers to them.
• Relying on improved marketing strategies, more events and offering venue hire to drive more business.

We’ve rounded up these valuable insights from your customers and fellow operators so you have the information you need to act on these findings. 

Together, we can use this data to help secure the financial stability of your business, and ensure the pub and bar industry doesn’t just survive but truly thrives.

Katie Houghton
Head of Brand, DesignMyNight

The key numbers for hospitality in 2025

Get the full report

Ready to turn insights into action? Download DesignMyNight's 2025 Pub Industry Report now and gain access to exclusive statistic, actionable strategies, and expert analysis tailored to today’s pubs and bars.

If you would like further support with any of the tools recommended within the report, our team our here to guide you, so don't hesitate to book a demo and chat to us.