O’Neill’s having ‘toughest time’ – as pub boss says young people are shunning night life for social media and takeaways
The boss of one of the UK’s biggest pub and bar chains says a shift in younger people’s attitudes is shrinking the late-night market.
Phil Urban, the chief executive of Mitchells & Butlers, says they are straying from previous generations who would be more inclined to “go out late night and stay out”.
He blamed social media and a booming takeaway and home delivery market.
“I think social media means that you don’t have to do that [go out] to stay in touch with your friends,” says Urban, whose company owns Toby Carvery, Harvester, All Bar One, Nicholson’s and Miller & Carter.
He says all the company’s brands are “doing well”, but Irish pub and bar chain O’Neill’s was “probably having the toughest time” due to its exposure to the night-time industry.
“People are often meeting beforehand to have something to eat, having a few drinks at home, before going out.
“So, those pure late-night, club operators, have certainly got a smaller market.
“We wouldn’t go back into that sort of club market, it’s not for us, because I do think it’s going to take a long while to reverse – if it does.”
The Money team previously spoke with nightlife experts who warned that at the rate clubs are closing, there’d be none left by 2030.
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