For the first time in over a year, people are spending less on a late night out, according to research commissioned by Rekom UK.
Its latest Night Index shows that total spend on a night out has decreased by 2.1% to £73.19 per person on average, now more in line with expenditures in Autumn last year.
Pricing remains the top concern for 44.9% of consumers when deciding to go on a night out, indicating the clear influence the cost-of-living crisis continues to have on socialising patterns.
Whilst drinks, transport, and entry fee spend all decreased, food spend was the only category to increase, by 2.6% to £17.72. It was also found that women spend marginally more than men, at £89.58 compared to £88.46.
Full time employees spend significantly more than students, at £79.16 compared to £64.60.
However, both spend the most on drinks in the venue compared to other categories.
58% of respondents go out at least once a week, an 8.9% decrease from 66.9% in July 2023. Amongst 18-24 year olds this is 69.2%, a 5.7% decrease from 74.9% in July 2023.
Key findings also include an evolution in student nightlife, as over two thirds (67.9%) of students, see Saturday as the most popular day of the week to go out.
Notably, low or no alcohol offerings are increasingly prominent as the findings reveal that 45.9% regularly go on a late night out without consuming alcohol – this was particularly prevalent for those aged 25-34 (54.3%._
Over half (52%) said that they now consume less alcohol on a night out compared to a year ago, rising to 59.7% for 25-34 year olds and among students this was 48.5%.
Pre-booking was a clear trend, with 47.5% of respondents claiming to prioritise planned social events over a spontaneous night out, with just 26.4% opting for unscheduled nights out.
Additionally, social media platforms are fast becoming the go-to for many customers in how they choose a night out, with a quarter choosing Instagram (25.1%) and TikTok (24%).
Peter Marks, chairman of Rekom UK, said that over the past year, there has been a clear and fundamental shift in people’s socialising habits, as a direct impact of the cost-of-living crisis.
”People are still going out less and spending less money. The high rents, which haven’t adjusted for the tough economic conditions affecting businesses across the sector, make for difficult trading”, he said.
”We have had to think prudently about our business decisions, whether that’s choosing to no longer open early-mid week to focusing our efforts on the bar sector, which offers an extended trading timeframe and appeals to a broader demographic.”
“In line with the results of the survey, we’ve also noticed the increasing popularity of non-alcoholic drinks, along with a huge uptick in pre-booking venues or seating areas as people shun the spontaneous night out for a pre-arranged event, such as for a birthday or celebration”, said operations director Russell Quelch.
Quelch added that the late night operator would adapt its offering accordingly to meet these changes in consumer demand, and be ”prioritising our bars where the space is multi-functional”
“By providing areas for dining, drinks and dancing, we can accommodate a diverse range of preferences and cater to everyone’s needs.”
