Hogmanay rings in higher sales for Edinburgh's pubs

Pubs in Edinburgh rang up higher sales as they helped revellers see in 2017, according to new research.

Edinburgh's pubs toasted a 7% rise in Hogmanay sales, according to data from Epos Now. Picture: Ian Georgeson

Data from electronic point of sale software specialist Epos Now shows that takings across the Scottish capital’s pubs and bars between 5pm on Hogmanay and 5am on New Year’s Day were 7 per cent higher than a year earlier.

The highest rise in the UK was seen in Newcastle, where sales were up 11 per cent, followed by Brighton at 9 per cent.

Epos Now chief executive Jacyn Heavens said: “It’s clear that people in towns and cities across the UK were keen to get out and about to celebrate the New Year, with many pubs seeing revenues grow significantly.”

The firm’s data also reveals that sales of Champagne and prosecco accounted for more than a third of pubs’ total drink revenues between 11.30pm on Hogmanay and 12.30am on 1 January.

However, the demand for bubbly was not sustained across the whole evening, with Champagne and prosecco together making up just 15 per cent of total pub “wet revenues” for the 12 hours leading up to 5am on New Year’s Day, well below beer at 27 per cent and spirits at 20 per cent.

Heavens added: “It seems many people like to ring in the New Year with a celebratory glass of bubbly but that’s typically where it stops. Champagne and prosecco are expensive and over the course of the evening as a whole people are still most likely to be enjoying a good old pint.”

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