Saturday, February 3, 2024 8:51am
It’s no use burying your head in the sand. A new generation and the scars of the pandemic have changed going out habits forever.Greater Manchester is thriving because bars and clubs are responding, writes Sacha Lord
I don’t care, but the past year has been terrible in terms of hospitality. More than 6,000 venues closed permanently in the 12 months to December, now the UK’s third biggest sector closure for government, but this is not a one-off. In the past three years alone, more than 23,000 venues have closed amid the devastating effects of the pandemic, cost of living crisis, and high interest rates.
This continued economic situation will undoubtedly make things incredibly difficult this year as well, so I, along with others in the industry, have called many times for better support. We will continue to push for a much-needed VAT cut to bring us in line with other European countries. We will also continue to advocate for those working in our industry when it comes to wages, fair tips, and safety.
However, we cannot rely solely on the economic environment to determine our survival, and it would be foolish to do so. As the UK’s fifth largest sector, we need to be aware of changing cultural and social trends. You can’t keep offering the same traditional products and services in hopes of being accepted by a new generation.
As a city region, perhaps the biggest change we have witnessed in Greater Manchester is the change in the typical working week. With the Monday to Friday office week coming to an end, many large companies across the UK have been trying to reinstate it, but it appears to have been in vain.
Currently, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays are peak times for after-work drinks, and operators who don’t take this into account will definitely struggle, even if they haven’t already.
We know that trying to bring office workers back to cities is not a quick fix to increasing foot traffic, and we need to think differently. We now have to treat that Friday as a new beginning to the weekend and cater to that audience.
We are not alone, London, like other cities, has seen a significant reduction in the number of professionals coming into the city on Fridays. Just last weekend, London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced his intention to introduce off-peak transport fares on Fridays to boost the hospitality industry.
Proposals like this will go a long way in combating this decline in foot traffic, and we hope Mayor Khan’s office is making strong moves like this to counter the trend and stay ahead of the trend, rather than looking back. I welcome the fact that it is starting.
In addition to the changes in the working week, the preferences of the audience, especially the younger “corona generation”, must also be taken into account. Her current group of 19- to 23-year-olds have been physically challenged for a long time, whether it’s having their first drink at the pub, going to a nightclub for their 18th birthday, or socializing with colleagues at their first job. I couldn’t even experience the thrill of it. The bass line echoed across the dance floor.
For this age group, their late teens are spent online and on social platforms, and the concept of going to the pub to catch up with friends has disappeared. Whether or not we older traditionalists understand this preference, for this demographic “drinking games” will always be more troublesome than sending a voice memo, posting a Be Real, or uploading a Tiktok. It is time consuming and costly.
While those most fearful would see these social changes as an existential threat to our industry, I believe that is not the case. But we need to ensure that the experience of interacting in person, over drinks, food, a game of darts, etc., is worthwhile and offers something more than what can be experienced at home or online. .
As venue owners, we must be more conscious and adapt our industry to these societal changes. And I believe that the most successful operators, and those that survive over the long term, are those that observe trends and adapt to change. Execute them quickly and fluidly.
Take, for example, the resurgence of the non-alcoholic market. There is a clear contrast between operators who have expanded their drinks menus to accommodate new trends and new audiences, and traditional establishments who have been slow to adapt. In Greater Manchester, Love.From, an alcohol-free and inclusive bar in the city center, is doing incredibly well. Additionally, and consistent with the overall trend, from my own personal experience through my work on the Warehouse Project, younger audiences, in an environment where recent statistics show only one nightclub, We’re seeing how people want unique, one-time experiences. England was shutting down every two days.
Our commitment to predicting and innovating to meet changing habits is why Greater Manchester is not only surviving, but thriving. This region has always aimed to be fair, inclusive and modern, and I believe it is leading the way in terms of nightlife and the wider hospitality industry.
Next week, the city will welcome leaders from around the world, from Japan to New York to the global nighttime industry summit, all of whom will be looking forward to sharing their expertise, knowledge and trends with us here in the UK. There will be.
Despite the wider economic climate and the realignment of British politics, our determination to meet the needs of the people who live here and the millions of people who visit is what sets this city region apart from other city regions across the UK. is why we are doing so well and why we continue to lead the way. Other local cities both domestically and internationally should emulate this.
Sasha Lord is Greater Manchester’s Night Economy Advisor