According to a survey conducted over the weekend by The Mystery Dining Company (TMDC), 20 per cent of 400 respondents said a visit to a pub or restaurant over the weekend would be more likely than normal.
Just under 50 per cent of consumers said they would most likely purchase a royal themed alcoholic beer, cocktail or Champagne to celebrate the wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton on 29 April, while 34 per cent said they would be more likely to order a festive dessert.
Sally Whelan, director at TMDC, said that with 70 per cent of respondents expecting hospitality staff to embrace festivities this Friday, the Royal Wedding presented a huge opportunity for the industry.
“The fact consumers expect and even welcome a festive approach indicates that there is a desire to make an occasion of the event, without a consumer having to buy in fully to the celebrations.
“A special drinks menu which takes inspiration from tradition, the Royal family or even a twist on wedding favourites is likely to be well received as it helps to add a sense of fun to a drink with friends.
“Non-alcoholic cocktails which can be enjoyed by all age groups may also prove popular. Likewise, weddings are all about people coming together in celebration which is also why sharing plates and desserts, items that can often be considered an indulgence, have also been favoured by the survey respondents, whereas very few individuals said that they would be interested in a royal themed main course.”
Half a million visitors
Separate nationwide research conducted by Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) revealed that around 560,000 people intend to travel into London from around the UK especially for the Royal Wedding.
While 37 per cent of visitors intend to only stay for the day, hotels in the capital are still set to benefit largely, with 185,000 people planning on staying in a London hotel. A further 50,000 also plan to stay the night in a B&B.
While the majority of people have opted for a budget hotel stay, one in five will choose to spend between £100 and £149 on a room for the night. However a further 20,000 people intend to celebrate the wedding in style and spend upwards of £300 a night.
Over half the visitors descending on London on 29 April expect to visit bars, clubs and restaurants during their stay, although more people intend to celebrate the wedding in a pub (60 per cent) than a restaurant (40 per cent).
Mark Ambler, economist at PwC, said: “Our survey suggests that the wedding will be a great economic boost for London’s economy and a good indicator of the potential economic benefits of the Olympic Games, when more than ten times this number of visitors is expected.”