St Patrick’s Day 2024 proved a profitable occasion for the UK’s hospitality sector, with pubs, bars and restaurants recording a combined boost of £81.3 million over the weekend—a rise from £78.9 million in 2023. Celebrated on Sunday, 17 March, the event encouraged greater consumer spending despite the ongoing cost-of-living pressures and rising beer prices.

According to data from card payment provider Dojo, the average spend per transaction during the weekend was £15.19, up 3.12% from last year’s figure of £14.73. This uptick in average spend signals a growing enthusiasm for celebratory outings, especially around major cultural events like St Patrick’s Day.

Chelmsford leads the charge in festive spending

While London is home to the highest number of Irish citizens in the UK, it wasn’t the capital that topped the charts for St Patrick’s Day spending. Chelmsford, in Essex, claimed the title with an average spend of £24.89 per transaction in pubs, bars and restaurants. London trailed slightly behind at £24.30, which was actually a marginal 0.29% decrease compared to 2023.

In Scotland, the city of Perth emerged as the most spirited St Patrick’s Day participant. Located along the River Tay, Perth saw an average transaction value of £22.68—a 10.36% increase year on year. This figure beat out larger Scottish cities like Glasgow, showing that smaller towns are making a big impact during major cultural celebrations.

Guinness and rugby continue to fuel St Paddy’s Day surge

Last year, a fortuitous overlap of St Patrick’s Day, the Six Nations rugby finale, and Mother’s Day created a unique spike in hospitality sales. In 2023, around 2.7 million pints of Guinness—equating to roughly £13 million—were sold, a jump of 1 million pints compared to the previous year. This surge was followed by “Super Saturday” rugby fixtures, which led to a staggering 13.1 million pints of beer and cider being served across the UK. That weekend alone brought an additional 65 pints sold per pub over the average.

Despite fewer major events aligning in 2024, spending surpassed last year’s totals, suggesting strong consumer loyalty to St Patrick’s Day celebrations and a renewed appetite for social experiences.

Hospitality sector buoyed by positive consumer behaviour

The growth in St Patrick’s Day spending is a welcome sign for on-trade venues, many of which continue to navigate economic headwinds. Rising costs for suppliers and shrinking household budgets have placed pressure on hospitality businesses, but the latest figures offer encouragement that customers are still willing to spend when the occasion calls for it.

With consistent year-on-year growth during one of the busiest weekends for pubs and bars, industry leaders may view St Patrick’s Day as a reliable fixture in the annual calendar—one that delivers both strong footfall and higher spending per customer. The data paints a positive picture for future event-led trading and reinforces the cultural significance of St Patrick’s Day in the UK’s hospitality economy.