Spectre and the Rugby World Cup boost leisure spending in Britain to £5.4bn in October
British households spent an average of £206 each on leisure activities in October, up nine per cent, or £18, from this time last year, but down one per cent from September 2015. That equates to a total spend on leisure activities of £5.4bn in Britain last month.
Wetter weather in October held back monthly spending slightly, although generally Brits spent more than last year on going out.
Despite the release of the latest James Bond film Spectre and the Rugby World Cup, average family spending on leisure activities, not including dining out and drinking, fell one per cent from September to £79, but rose 13 per cent year-on-year.
The average household spent £80.41 in October on eating out, a five per cent rise on this time last year, but a five per cent fall from the previous month.
Drinking out, however, saw monthly spending rise five per cent from September, to £46.12, 11 per cent higher than 2014, presumably as people sought 'beer jackets' to help fend off the colder weather…
Halloween is another likely reason for the increase in spend on drinking, according to pub operator Greene King, which produced the leisure spend tracker.
The report said the year-on-year rise in leisure spending reflected "the long term upward momentum in consumer confidence," and negative inflation, which they predict will help to "ease cost of living pressures for British households into the new year."
Spending on trips to museums and other live events fell compared to the summer, but the return of the Premier League in August and the Rugby World Cup in September and October led to increased spending on live sport and gambling.
Theatre spending has also increased, which reflects the stronger growth in families' spending. Households with children spent 10 per cent more than last year, compared to the nine per cent average. Those without children only spent three per cent, or £1, more compared to 2014.