Fill your boots: Brits set to blow £2.5bn this week alone

British consumers are set to splash the cash this week with one forecast predicting that 104 million people will head out to pubs, restaurants and cafes to spend up to £2.5bn over the next seven days and then go shopping.

This week marks the next level of lockdown easing, allowing hospitality venues to reopen their indoor premises and serve customers inside for the first time since December.

And VoucherCodes and the Centre for Retail Research estimate that venues will seat 13.6 million customers between today and Thursday, and that they will spend £297m eating indoors.

That figure is expected to surge over Saturday and Sunday, with 34 million people set to visit hospitality venues to spend over £389m and £426m respectively.

The knock-on effect this will have on retail sales this week is forecast to be much higher than pre-pandemic levels in May 2019.

Shoppers are also estimated to spend 41.2% more on Saturday, almost £427m, compared to the same day in 2019 when £301.84m was spent.

VoucherCodes commercial senior director Angus Drummond commented: “If people in the UK are known for anything it’s our love for pubs and restaurants, so it’s no surprise to see that so many people are planning to make the most of being able to sit inside and enjoy drinks and meals out.

“It’s been an incredibly tough year for the hospitality industry with large periods of closure, so it’s particularly encouraging that this report forecasts a quick and strong recovery over the next couple of years.”