How music can help pubs this winter

As the winter season rolls in and the nights get longer, pubs and bars around the UK pack up their garden furniture and load up the log burner. We’ve got some great stats and top tips on how you can make the most of your pub this winter.

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What a year it’s been…

What a year it’s been…

The end of one year and the start of a new one is often a time for reflection. Thinking back over the last few months and remembering those moments that particularly stood out. And what a year it’s been…

We cheered as England’s Lionesses brought football home at the European Championships, and commended England’s Red Roses’ when they lifted the Women’s Rugby World Cup. We also sang along with the Manchester-born Gallagher brothers as they successfully toured the UK with their long-awaited reunion, and the country mourned the loss of the Prince of Darkness just weeks after Black Sabbath’s reunion tour that raised £140 million for charity. [1]

Get customers to step-in to your pub this Christmas.

As we head into the Christmas season and look to the new year – and January in particular – many of us are no doubt expecting the economic strain to ease off and remain hopeful that the hospitality industry will remain as popular as ever.

According to Paramount Personnel, this winter pubs can embrace the festive boom as there will be high demand for post-work Christmas parties, family gatherings and New Year’s celebrations.

The publication, CLH, tells us that Christmas bookings for the 2025 festive period are so far already up by 8% compared to last year, with research conducted by VoucherCodes.co.uk revealing UK consumers are forecast to spend £1bn over the Christmas period in December 2025 (£0.3bn more than last year).

Whether customers are seeking a simple night off from cooking, de-stressing after work, or a key social event, one thing is clear, they’re looking for an experience they can’t replicate at home. According to research by Beer Today, 78% of pub-goers said they are looking for their visits to be unlike what they can experience at home, a figure that has increased by 24% in the last 3 years.[3]

People having a jolly time over a pint

Using atmosphere to beat the January slump.

The challenge of January in the hospitality sector is real, it can sometimes be difficult to provide customers with the most enjoyable and uplifting experience – especially the New Year and across the winter months, but there are ways to make businesses as welcoming and engaging as they can be.

This could be anything from lighting an open fire to keep customers cosy on cold, winter nights, serving healthy treats to add some spice to new year diets, or playing music to create a more welcoming and familiar space.

Music isn’t just background noise – it is a mood booster!

According to our research, the majority of people said that they prefer pubs that play music, with 61% of people agreeing that it adds to the atmosphere. [4]

Playing music could help to lift the mood, boost the environment and help to create a friendly and appealing space. It could help to reinvigorate businesses and create an upbeat, positive feel to wash away the January blues, or even help to create the sort of comfortable and relaxed atmosphere that people need after the rush of the festive season.

With the new year often bringing quieter months, playing music could help to encourage people into businesses and may be an important aspect when it comes to attracting new interest. Just think how students returning to university after the Christmas break might like to listen to some of their favourite songs as they enjoy a long overdue catch up with friends, for example.  Or how about those who are still hard at work over the festive period might enjoy relaxing to a mix of melodic sounds as they unwind after weeks of busyness and stress.

References

  1. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg6d616n5jo
  2. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jul/27/womens-euro-2025-final-boost-uk-supermarkets-pubs-retail-hospitality-industry
  3. https://catererlicensee.com/hospitality-sector-set-for-12-6bn-christmas-boost/
  4. https://catererlicensee.com/nearly-a-quarter-of-christmas-eve-diners-opt-for-breakfast/#:~:text=Christmas%20Eve%20breakfast%20is%20proving,the%20same%20point%20in%202024.&text=With%20just%20nine%20weeks%20to,July:%2016%25
  5. A survey of 2000 of people in the UK conducted through Attest in November 2022.

Author

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Toni Hendry

Toni Hendry studied Arts at De Montfort University and gained a MSc in Business within the Creativity Industries at the Leicester Business School where she received an award for her writing. Shortly after graduating she joined PPL PRS in 2022 as a National Account Executive and has recently joined the marketing team where she can share her passion for writing, culture and music in her new role as Marketing & Content Executive.
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