26/08/2026
Is your pub ready for the August Bank Holiday?
The final bank holiday of summer is nearly here, and the latest consumer insights suggest there’s a real opportunity for pubs and bars to make the most of it.
⭐ Consumer confidence is at a 2-year high, giving guests a boost in their likelihood to spend.
⭐ 1.5 million fewer Britons have taken a big holiday so far this year, helping to ease money worries, while the amount people have in savings has reached a 3-year high.
⭐ A quarter of adults are planning their spending just one week ahead, twice as many as those looking further ahead. That means plenty of people are still making last-minute decisions about how to spend their bank holiday.
So, how can pubs turn that optimism into sales?
🍺 Drive bookings
Encourage groups and families to plan ahead with messaging around family meals, indoor get-togethers and making the most of the long weekend, whatever the weather.
🍺 Capture spontaneous visitors
Make your pub stand out to people deciding where to go on the day. Keep the front of house looking inviting, use A-boards and make menus and availability easy to find online.
🍺 Give guests a reason to trade up
People are looking for treats as they round off the summer. Showcase World & Premium beers and ciders, premium spirits and cocktails to encourage customers to spend a little more.
🍺 Increase spend per visit
Train your team to upsell at the bar and through table service, from an extra round to sides, snacks and desserts.
🍺 Make the most of last-minute decisions
Keep your social channels active in the run-up to the bank holiday, reminding customers what you have on offer and why your pub is the perfect place to spend the long weekend.
With consumer confidence up and plenty of last-minute spending decisions still to be made, make sure your pub is ready to make the most of the August Bank Holiday.
Source: Konfidant Consumer Confidence Analysis August 2026