The pub is one of Britain’s great institutions. It’s where consumers go to socialise, relax and celebrate, and where memories are made. And despite relentless challenges to both spending and costs in recent years, pubs remain a core component of hospitality. NIQ’s Hospitality Market Monitor reveals there were 35,214 community, high street and food pubs around Britain at the end of 2025, which means they make up well over a third of the country’s licensed premises.
A sturdy sector
Contrary to some opinions, pubs have been a relatively resilient sector in recent years. NIQ’s data shows channels including casual dining, restaurants and nightclubs have all seen sharper falls in site numbers than pubs since COVID. While consumers’ spending has been under severe pressure, sales trends for managed pub groups have also been reasonable. The NIQ RSM Hospitality Business Tracker shows they have outperformed restaurants for like-for-like growth for 15 months in a row.
But economic headwinds and changing consumer habits have brought significant changes to pubs. While the managed sector has been durable, thousands of community pubs have been lost, and thousands more have evolved. Traditional impressions of the pub—drink-led, community-focused, brewery-tied and historical—still apply in many cases, but they also need updating.
The changing face of the pub
For one thing, the model of pubs is changing fast. Leased and tenanted segments have been in decline for a sustained period, and more pub groups have brought sites under direct management. New formats, including where pubs are franchised or run in partnership by owner and manager, are increasingly common.
Pubs have always had to adapt because of their uniquely broad appeal. Asked about the value of different aspects of pubs, high numbers of consumers are attracted by things like music (52%), pub games (38%), live sports (41%) and dog-friendliness (40%). But while these and other factors are positives for many, they are also off-putting for others. It’s a balancing act that all pubs have to handle.
Human vs tech
What consumers want from their pubs reflects societal change too—including in the way they interact. For example, recent GO Technology research from NIQ and Zonal found that three quarters (73%) of consumers like to visit pubs spontaneously, but 27% prefer to pre-book. Two thirds (66%) want to order at the bar, but a third (34%) want to order via an app. It’s opening up a divide: between the 45% who want to keep old traditions like spontaneity and bar service alive, and the 55% who want things to evolve though more use of reservations and app service.
This demand for digital interaction, especially from younger adults, is prompting pubs to invest in technology. According to NIQ’s recent Optimizing Brand Reputation in Hospitality report with Reputation, half (48%) of consumers think businesses that fail to adapt to AI will fall behind in customer experience. But great pub experiences will always be about human engagement too. NIQ’s research consistently highlights the importance of service and all-round experience to consumers, and these are particularly significant in pubs.
New occasions
Pubs’ far-ranging appeal means they are deepening their penetration into different types of hospitality visits. One is the high tempo occasion, with two thirds (66%) of consumers likely to choose a pub over a bar for these, often because it provides a more sociable, relaxed and value-for-money experience. As consumers go out earlier, pubs are also taking greater share from earlier dayparts. NIQ’s Trading Index shows the early evening block of 5pm to 7pm now generates more sales than the late evening period of 7pm to 10pm—a landmark moment for a sector that has traditionally thrived at night.
A third growing occasion is the experience-led visit, where events and entertainment drive footfall. This has played to the advantage of themed bars, which grew in number by 33% in 2025. Hickory’s Smokehouse, the US-themed pub-restaurant brand from Greene King, is just one example of how the traditional pub is constantly reinventing itself.
What pub-goers think
Consumers interviewed by NIQ confirm the special place of the pub in British life. “It’s a gathering space for communities”… “A great place to socialise and hang out with friends and family”… “A welcoming environment where one can relax and chat”… these are just a few examples of what pubs mean to people. These and other pub qualities will endure, but how they are delivered is set for even more change in the years ahead.
NIQ’s unique suite of research solutions provides outstanding insights into sales and site trends in Britain’s pubs, as well as analysis of consumers’ latest behaviours and preferences. The services help suppliers, operators and investors to understand change and identify opportunities.
