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More families than ever are shunning the strain of cooking a Christmas dinner and choosing to dine out instead, according to data from Worldpay.
Lifting the lid on where Brits are spending their money over the holiday period, payments company Worldpay’s analysis of spending patterns reveals the amount spent by Brits in pubs and restaurants on Christmas Day grew at a rate of 20% last year.
People living in the north-west are most likely to give up on peeling spuds and sprouts, in favour of letting a professional chef do the work for them. Restaurants in this region were up to twice as busy as other parts of the UK.
Meanwhile people living in the north-east prefer to keep things traditional with a meal at home with friends and family.
Worldpay’s analysis also suggests there will be a few sore heads on December 25, with pubs across the country 30% busier than average on Christmas Eve. Residents in the south-east have the UK’s most voracious appetite for a drink on the night before Christmas.
Brighton is revealed as the capital of festive drinking, with pub takings in the coastal city up 60% compared with an average night.
According to Worldpay, Brits could spend upwards of £7 million on a lunchtime trip to the local on December 25. Pubs across Sussex and Kent are almost three times busier than bars in London, which will be the quietest on Christmas Day.
James Frost, chief marketing & commercial officer of UK Worldpay, said: “Although many pubs and restaurants are tempted to close their doors on Christmas Day, there is clearly a growing appetite for dining out.
“Over the past few years we’ve seen a significant shift in the way Brits choose to spend Christmas Day. Instead of the stress of cooking a roast dinner, more of us are booking our favourite restaurant and letting the pros do all the hard work instead.
“Our data suggests that more than £70 million is spent on cards in bars and restaurants across Christmas Eve and Christmas Day – and the numbers suggest this figure could grow further this year.”
