With airport chaos, costs rising on foreign holidays and warm weather set to continue after the heatwave Brits are being encouraged to holiday closer to home and enjoy the Great British Pub as part of their staycation this summer.
Pubs across the country are ready to welcome holidaymakers from across the UK as airport chaos and price rises on foreign family holidays see people opting to stay closer to home.
Almost 50% of international tourists choosing to visit a pub on their trips to the UK, pubs are seeking to showcase their international draw to UK holidaymakers with diverse food menus, newly renovated accommodation and great British hospitality.
Even before the pandemic hit and people couldn’t travel far, pubs across the UK were a hugely popular destination of choice for UK holiday makers. In 2019 Brits took 1.7bn day visits, 50million of which were to a pub, generating £2billion for the economy each year.
Now, post-pandemic and with warm weather on the cards for the forseeable, pubs are hoping for a resurgence from the British holidaymaker and want the public to know they’re ready to welcome them with more than just a nice cold beer.
Kevin Georgel , Chief Executive of St Austell Brewery, which owns over 170 pubs across the Westcountry said:
“People can see the pub as a place for a pint and nothing else, but that couldn’t be further from reality. We’re really proud to serve our beers in our pubs, but we’re also proud to offer menus teeming with locally sourced ingredients and classic Westcountry fare, in stunning locations that need to be seen to be believed.
“Over the past two years, we’ve really invested in our accommodation for overnight guests too. If people are travelling a few hours, by car or train, we want to make it easy and enjoyable for them to make the most of their staycation and give them a memorable experience. There are so many elements which make Great British Pubs the perfect boltholes for relaxing and exploring new areas across the UK.”
The call from pubs comes as data shows that the average cost of a family holiday abroad has rocketed over the past few months, with everything from car hire to accommodation jumping up in price and the Met Office predicting a summer of heatwaves is set to sweep the country.
Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the British Beer and Pub Association said:
“We’re all feeling the pinch at the moment with rising costs all around us, but us Brits don’t need to spend money on travelling far, because we are lucky to have a world-renowned cultural institution on our doorstep.
“We’re encouraging people to get out and explore the UK, and head for pubs not only for a pint but to eat and stay as well. And if you need some inspiration on where to go stayinapub.co.uk showcases pubs with accommodation in beauty spots across the country, from the Highlands to the Cornish coast.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
Data was collated from Visit Britain – Activities in Britain’s nations and regions. Foresight – issue 165 and Visit Britain – The Great Britain Day Visitor 2019 Annual Report.
About the British Beer & Pub Association
The BBPA represents UK companies which between them brew over 90% of the beer sold in the UK and own 20,000 pubs.
Our members include international companies, national and local brewers and pub businesses operating managed and tenanted pubs in cities, towns and villages across the country.
These businesses are at the heart of communities and local economies and include family businesses who have been brewing beer and running pubs for hundreds of years alongside emerging brewers and pub operators.
· The UK’s beer and pub industry supports close to 940,000 jobs
· The industry adds £26.2billion to the UK’s economy each year
Press release from BBPA
Contact: jpowell@beerandpub.com