Pubs and bars

The Business & Industry Guides series is produced by the Library & Information Service for ICAEW members and ACA students.

We can compile tailored key players reports, mailing lists, market reports, benchmarking reports and industry news. Our enquiry team can also research other industry-specific information, such as taxation, for you. Call us on +44 (0)20 7920 8620 or email library@icaew.com.

Guides are also available on Restaurants and the Alcoholic drinks industry.

Restaurants and Bars 2024
Annual report from BDO providing insight into the latest trends, economic performance, challenges and opportunities for the UK restaurants, bars and pub sector. Previous reports are also available.

SIBA Independent Beer Report 2024
Report from the Society of Independent Brewers & Associates. Previous Craft Beer reports are also available.

Market research reports focusing on this business sector are available from a number of market research specialists. In most cases these reports are available to fee-paying subscribers or on a pay-as-you-go basis 

Some free information is available from the following market research specialists, ranging from industry news to executive summaries of the reports.

Euromonitor
A full listing of reference products and research reports for the cafes/bars sector from Euromonitor, with a range of global and country level reports. Each report provides a contents listing and a useful executive summary reporting on the key trends in each country report.

IBISWorld
Business and industry research specialists offering a range of reports on the alcoholic drinks sector including pubs and clubs. Report snapshots, table of contents and a sample report are available.

Mintel
A full listing of reports from market intelligence provider Mintel on the pubs, clubs and restaurants sector. Report summaries, table of contents and a sample report are available.

Further resources

The alcohol industry
Report from the Institute of Alcohol Studies providing an overview of the UK alcohol industry. Covers industry size, role in the economy, leading companies (including major pub operators), industry consolidation and the business models and commercial strategies of alcohol companies. Published in October 2020.

British Beer and Pub Association

The British Beer and Pub Association sells an annual Statistical Handbook and provides some free industry statistics through its website including total number of pubs in the UK.

Office for National Statistics

The Annual Business Survey (ABS) from the Office for National Statistics collects financial information covering UK production, construction, distribution and service industries. Statistics available include:

• number of enterprises;
• total turnover;
• approximate gross value added at basic prices;
• total purchases of goods, materials and services;
• total employment costs;
• total net capital expenditure;
• total net capital expenditure – acquisitions;
• total net capital expenditure – disposals;
• total stocks and work in progress – value at end of year;
• total stocks and work in progress – value at beginning of year;
• total stocks and work in progress – increase during year.

The dataset Non-financial business economy, UK: Sections A to S includes statistics for:

• Beverage serving activities (56.3)
  See Section I: Accommodation and food service activities

UK

The Office for National Statistics publication Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) includes average employment costs within this sector which can be found in Table 14. Average employment costs are provided for full-time employees, part-time employees and all employees.

The data includes average employment costs for:

• publicans and managers of licensed premises;
• catering and bar managers; and
• bar staff.

The annual Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES), published by the Office for National Statistics, includes total employee and employment estimates for different industries for Great Britain and the UK. Figures are broken down to show full-time/part-time and public/private splits. The dataset Industry – Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES): Table 2 includes statistics for:

• Beverage serving activities (563)

Other regions

Please see individual country profile pages for links to sources of national statistics.

UK

Gov.uk offers guidance and information on:

• alcohol licensing

Food and drink businesses: working with the EU provides guidance from GOV.UK on what food and drinks businesses need to do to work with the EU from January 2021 when the transition period after Brexit ends.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has a section on health and safety in catering and hospitality, which includes latest regulations affecting this industry.

British Beer and Pub Association

The British Beer and Pub Association publishes the guide Running a pub: A guide to costs for tenants and lessees. It includes data on typical operating costs over a wide range of pub models and business types. 

Tactical and Information Packages

HMRC published a series of Tactical and Information Packages (TIPs), replacing Business Economic Notes in 2007, offering guidance to HMRC officers to support compliance activity in the department. The TIPs provide trade-based information with some explanation of key features and trading practices. However, they were subsequently removed from the HMRC website following a policy change.

The text of TIP 130 on licensed trade as published at this time is still available from the article Tactical Information Packages (TIPS) on the AccountingWeb website, however this should be treated with caution as this may no longer be the current version.

The websites of trade bodies and other organisations in this sector are a useful source of industry overviews, contacts and statistics.

UK 

• Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers
• Brewing, Food & Beverage Industry Suppliers' Association
• British Beer and Pub Association
• British Institute of Innkeeping
• Cask Marque
• Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations
• Licensed Trade Charity
• UK Hospitality
• Wine and Spirit Trade Association

Global

• International Alliance for Responsible Drinking

Trade journals, B2B magazines and specialist consumer magazines are another useful source of news and statistics.

• Bar magazine
• The Caterer
• CLASS
• Daltons Business (includes a database of public houses for sale)
• Drinks Business
• Drinks International
• Inapub
• Pub and Bar
• The Morning Advertiser

Drinks industry guide: British Library
British Library industry guides provide listings of resources for industry-specific information, including print directories and materials held by the British Library. Registration is required.

Contact the British Library Business and IP Centre for more information.