According to CGA who crunch the data for the hospitality industry the top trading days in 2019 were:

Christmas Day 25/12
Antony Joshua fight/ Manchester Derby 7/12
2nd weekend of December 14/12
Friday before Christmas 20/12
Mother’s Day Saturday 30/3

So, when we have been hearing hospitality businesses concern over Christmas lockdown you can see why, 4 of those 5 days were in December.

Typically the pattern of trade ebbs and flows in hospitality throughout the year and depending on your location and your target market peaks occur at different times of the year for different businesses but, come December there is a coming together and almost all hospitality businesses experience the Christmas peak and that is a reflection of our cultural history.

Since prehistory we have marked the Winter Solstice in the northern hemisphere supposedly a symbol of the rebirth of the sun but perhaps even then, like now, it was for some less about the reason for the festival and more about the outcome.

Humans have forever needed festivals and rituals all of our societies and cultures around the world are constructed around them. They create important moments for people to come together and to bond, to form new relationships and to share in joy.

It is arguable that these moments in our lives are the most important, that they are what create the meaning in our lives.

Humans are the most sociable animal on the planet and whilst we may not need company all the time as a species we come together to learn and to share. We bond and we cooperate. Our meaning comes from relationships, the important close ones we develop but also the seemingly less important ones; the smile of the stranger on the street, even when we are not aware of the impact we are having on others and even when we feel apparently alone.

Hospitality businesses do not create this, society does it on its own but what hospitality businesses do in our modern world is create spaces to facilitate.

We create spaces where communities feel they belong; where the people around you if you know them personally or not you recognise them as your ‘tribe’.

When you walk into a hospitality business you instantly feel safe, welcome, and comfortable. Essential if what you are here for is to truly relax and to feel free. When this happens, when you are safe and comfortable and no one is making any demands of you is when you are able to make a difference to the relationships in your life and to create new ones.

Certainly, in the UK, the Christmas season is a build-up, our festival is not conducted just on one or two days it is a ‘season’.

Typically it begins for most around mid-November, businesses and organisations start organising end of year events like awards or parties; social groups and clubs will have a lunch or a night out; groups of friends will arrange to meet for an end of year catch up. It is as if we all know that before the year ends at Christmas, we need to make sure that we have got round everyone to reconnect.

This is important work it is when we all collectively work together to build and reinforce our bonds.

But 2020 will be different. Even if ‘Lockdown2’ ends on 2nd December it is very unlikely that anything will be the same as 2019.

The season has begun, trees are already up in some homes across the UK. There is a build-up of demand so perhaps hospitality businesses will see a surge, but it won’t be the same, socially distanced bonding is not really as thrilling or effective, it is not quite the same without the warm hug from the friend you haven’t seen all year. But there’s no doubt that we will all try, and hospitality businesses know their role.

Many, whilst you were away have decorated their venues to the hilt sparing no effort to make their venues feel special. They know that their purpose has been curtailed and they know that it won’t be the same but they also know that their responsibility is to their communities and to the ‘tribes’ that use them for the festivals and rituals that we perform in modern times.

They are ready and waiting for whatever announcements that come next to put a brave face on and to open the doors.

It will be different but as an industry we are going to do everything possible to make sure that you don’t notice and that the important work of coming together during our winter festival can still take place in our venues.

Look too closely and you will see behind the curtain but go with us because the magic is still there…