UK Leisure Trends: 2025
"Local venues are at the heart of the out-of-home leisure market but need to move beyond value and convenience to thrive as consumers' spending power returns."
David Walmsley, Research Analyst
- Leisure venues are at the heart of communities across the UK: 93% of online adults live near one, two thirds visit locally at least once a month and these neighbourhood businesses are highly rated on value for money.
- At the same time, though, the local leisure segment remains under pressure from continuing rises in living costs on the demand side and continuing rises in operating costs on the supply side.
- It is, however, well placed to benefit as economic conditions improve and discretionary consumer spending grows, particularly if venues can segment their experiences to appeal to younger and older crowds, offer high quality food and drink, and market their ability to provide an affordable and accessible social escape from day-to-day routine.
This Report Looks at the Following Areas:
- Changes in leisure habits, in and out of home
- Spending on, and perceptions of, leisure venue upgrades
- Accessibility, use of and attitudes towards local leisure
- The impact on leisure preferences of technology, healthier lifestyles and demographic change
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Opportunities for the leisure market
- Culture: make more multi-purpose spaces
- Sport: get more women active
- Gambling: look beyond sport for sponsorship success
- Market dynamics and outlook
- Market size & forecast
- Market predictions
- Economic conditions to dictate spending habits
- Graph 1: forecast of leisure market value, 2019-30
- Sport continues to close the culture gap
- Graph 2: leisure market value, by segment, 2024-25
- Demographic change can create new opportunities in older leisure
- Graph 3: population change projections, by age group, 2025-35
- New tech is upgrading leisure experiences
- Graph 4: attitudes towards technology in leisure and foodservice, 2025
- What consumers want and why
- Market offers something for (almost) everyone
- Graph 5: participation in leisure activities, 2022-25
- Brits make most time to dine
- Graph 6: participation in leisure activities, by activity, 2025
- Approaching half of venue visitors pay for upgrades…
- Graph 7: experience of paying for premium leisure venue options, 2025
- …but premium prices are a luxury many can’t afford
- Graph 8: perceptions of premium leisure venue options, 2025
- Local leisure is available to (almost) all
- Graph 9: local access to leisure venues, 2025
- People keen to support their high street
- Graph 10: frequency of visiting local leisure venues, 2025
- Good value is just around the corner
- Graph 11: appeal of local leisure venues, 2025
- Innovation and marketing
- Venues invest in improving experiences
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MARKET DYNAMICS
- Market size
- Leisure spending remains on the rise
- Brits spend £57 billion on leisure
- Graph 12: leisure market value, 2019-25
- Affluent base and trading up keeps market value in growth
- Graph 13: annual change in leisure market value, 2019-25
- Market forecast
- Living cost pressures to keep a lid on spending growth
- Graph 14: forecast of leisure market value, 2019-30
- Market value will be supported by upgrades, wellness and tech-based experiences
- Market segmentation
- Culture activities lead consumer spending
- Graph 15: leisure market value, by segment, 2023-25
- Culture
- Graph 16: leisure market culture segment value, 2021-25
- Culture segments prove star performers
- Sport and recreation
- Graph 17: leisure market sport and recreation segment value, 2021-25
- Playing and watching are both on the rise
- Gambling
- Graph 18: leisure market gambling segment value, 2021-25
- Operators still winning across the board
- Market drivers
- Leisure still a priority in face of living cost pressures
- Graph 19: perceptions of the cost of living crisis, 2024-25
- Older leisure is coming to the fore
- Graph 20: population change projections, by age group, 2025-35
- Healthy leisure can be about more than sport and fitness
- Graph 21: top three aspects of health consumers would like to improve, 2025
- Out-of-home leisure is becoming a technology sector
- Graph 22: attitudes towards technology in leisure and foodservice, 2025
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WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY
- Leisure activities
- Market offers something for (almost) everyone
- Graph 23: participation in leisure activities, 2022-25
- Brits make most time to dine
- Graph 24: participation in out-of-home leisure activities, 2023-25
- Older adults’ pub-going habits persist
- Graph 25: participation in aged-restricted out-of-home leisure activities, 2023-25
- Streamers and pay TV viewers broaden their viewing perspectives
- Graph 26: participation in in-home leisure activities, 2023-25
- Trading down options help defy living-cost crisis
- Graph 27: participation in leisure activities, by annual household income, 2025
- Provide sampling opportunities for new activities in old venues
- Graph 28: repertoires of in- and out-of-home leisure activities, 2025
- Premiumisation
- Approaching half of venue visitors pay for upgrades
- Graph 29: experience of paying for premium leisure venue options, 2025
- Young men lead demand for occasional luxury
- Graph 30: experience of paying for premium leisure venue options, by age and gender, 2025
- Upmarket appetites
- For Gen Z, premium food and drink is about more than taste
- Graph 31: Gen Z experience of paying for premium leisure venue options, 2025
- Premium prices are a luxury many can’t afford
- Graph 32: perceptions of premium leisure venue options, 2025
- Make premium experiences a must-have for current non-buyers
- Graph 33: perceptions of premium leisure venue options among non-spenders on these, 2025
- Exclusive can justify expensive in Gen Z’s leisure life
- Graph 34: Gen Z perceptions of premium leisure venue options, 2025
- Local leisure
- Food, drink and film are top local leisure options
- Easy access creates strong opportunity
- Graph 35: local access to leisure venues, 2025
- Local leisure markets offer plenty of choice
- Graph 36: number of leisure venues available locally, 2025
- Living local
- People support their local leisure venues…
- Graph 37: frequency of visiting local leisure venues, 2025
- …but don’t necessarily prefer them
- Graph 38: frequency of visiting local leisure venues, by demographics, 2025
- Good value is just around the corner
- Graph 39: appeal of local leisure venues, 2025
- Prioritise value, convenience and sociability to enhance female appeal
- Graph 40: appeal of local leisure venues, by gender, 2025
- Offer easy escapism to shore up early doors
- Graph 41: consideration of local leisure venues as suitable for an early evening out, by age, 2025
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INNOVATION AND MARKETING TRENDS
- Launch activity and innovation
- Catering for convenience
- Private clubs showcase bookmaker’s premium positioning
- Cinema experiences turn up the luxe
- Padel & Pints promote sport’s social side
- Enhanced fitness clubs focus on luxury leisure
- Polygon reshapes the live music experience
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APPENDIX
- Market forecast data and methodology
- Market size: underlying data
- Market forecast: underlying data
- Market forecast and prediction intervals (value)
- Forecast methodology
- Report scope and definitions
- Market definition
- Abbreviations and terms
- Consumer research methodology
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