According to reports from across the industry, the double bank holiday and the celebratory atmosphere which swept the nation translated to ringing tills at many establishments, especially those in the capital.
London and Thames-side pubs
Pub group Orchid reported a sales increase of 35 per cent over the four day weekend with its pubs located close to the Thames performing particularly well.
It was a similar experience for pub group TCG who experienced strong trade across its London sites, with one in particular – floating pub The Tattershall Castle – setting an all-time trade record in the week before.
“It was the ideal location to watch the Thames Pageant on Sunday, and even with the poor weather, the Tattershall Castle had a stunning day’s trading, equivalent to a busy New Year’s Eve," said TCG chief operating officer Nigel Wright.
London’s hotels too felt the effect of the increase in visitors. The London Hilton on Park Lane, which offered a special Diamond Jubilee package and a themed afternoon tea, was one hotel that reported an uplift in trade which it attributed to Jubilee celebrations.
Country view
While many of the capital's hotels and pubs did well, TCG said it was a 'mixed bag' elsewhere across its estate.
“Sunday and Monday nights were very good in the younger market generally, and there were plenty of people in our venues in the coastal resorts of Newquay and Weymouth. Rendezvous in Weymouth took £60k over Sunday and Monday thanks to a quayside Jubilee music festival which drove very strong sales, “ said Wright.
“In other parts of country, trading was steady, but unexciting. There was loads of activity, such as fetes, and parties, which helped local trade in many venues, but overall the weather seems to have dampened the numbers that were out generally.”
The unpredictable weather didn’t dampen spirits in one Welsh village, however.
Chef Adam Gaunt-Evans, who recently opened a 24-cover restaurant at The Swan Inn in the Ceiriog Valley, North Wales, said the Jubilee weekend had a positive impact on trade.
“We had a good, busy weekend. People were coming out to celebrate definitely and spent their money with us,” he said.
Jubilee vs. Olympics
With the Jubilee celebrations now behind us, many businesses will now be gearing up for the second big event of the summer - the 2012 Olympics. However, many are not expecting the same trade boost from the sporting event.
A survey of 100 restaurant, hotel and pub operators by RSM Tenon before the Jubilee weekend found that they viewed the Jubilee as a more profitable event than the forthcoming Olympics.
Twenty per cent said the Jubilee would provide a significant boost to business, compared with 15 per cent saying the Olympic Games would. However, half of those surveyed said they didn’t think either event would be beneficial to business.