The North of England remains full of opportunities for hospitality suppliers and operators despite tough market conditions.
That was among the messages from a session led by NIQ’s Karl Chessell at the recent Northern Restaurant & Bar show in Manchester. While the confidence of leaders and consumers alike has been sapped lately, trends have often been more positive than in the South and people remain eager to eat and drink out when they can. Here are five takeaways from ‘The State of the North’ session.
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That was among the messages from a session led by NIQ’s Karl Chessell at the recent Northern Restaurant & Bar show in Manchester. While the confidence of leaders and consumers alike has been sapped lately, trends have often been more positive than in the South and people remain eager to eat and drink out when they can. Here are five takeaways from ‘The State of the North’ session.
1 Northern site numbers stable
NIQ’s Hospitality Market Monitor shows Northern regions of England recorded a drop of just 0.1% in licensed premises in 2025. With trading conditions so challenging, this represents a solid performance, and it’s fractionally better than the 0.2% decline for Britain as a whole last year. City centres including Liverpool (+1.5%) and Manchester (+1.1%) have even achieved growth. The headline numbers also cover rapid churn in the North, and although there were 1,026 site closures in 2025, there were also 994 new openings—a sign that entrepreneurs and investors continue to stream into hospitality.
2 Higher-than-average confidence
This resilience has prompted leaders to start 2026 with very cautious confidence. The latest Business Confidence Survey from NIQ and Sona shows just over a quarter (27%) of leaders feel optimistic about prospects for their business over the next 12 months—a historically low figure but 7 percentage points higher than Britain’s hospitality leaders as a whole.
3 Enduring appeal of big nights out
NIQ’s consumer data has shown a steady move towards early dayparts for eating and drinking out, but the picture is slightly different in the North. A third (33%) of consumers here say they are staying out later on high tempo occasions than they were a year ago—8 percentage points more than in the South. However, some of these occasions are changing. Three in five (61%) consumers say they are looking for new experiences like music and gaming, or different types of venue.
4 Central to urban regeneration
Amid tough economic times and widespread shop closures, hospitality can play a big part in the revival of city centres and high streets across the North. Stockport is an example of how restaurants, bars, pubs and markets can transform an evening economy, while the Baltic Triangle has done a similar job in Liverpool. Developments and events have made cities like Liverpool and Manchester increasingly popular tourist spots.
5 An appetite for premium
The North has been further boosted as a foodie destination by its growing number of Michelin-starred restaurants. Other upmarket venues have flourished too, with cities losing fewer premium venues than value ones in recent years. High quality casual Northern brands like Madre and Maray are confidently expanding, and Southern ones like Blacklock and the Big Mamma Group are moving in. And consumers remain eager to treat themselves to premium drinks. Asked about their plans with a set amount of money, nearly two thirds (64%) say they would buy one or two premium or super-premium drinks, while only 12% would purchase four or five value or standard ones.
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