Boom for restaurants, ‘doom’ for pubs

People are eating, not drinking, their way through the recession, claims the country’s top food and accommodation critic.

John McKenna, who was speaking at the launch of the 21st editions of the Bridgestone Guides of places to stay and eat this year, said some pubs were “doomed” because people no longer wanted to sit and just drink all night.

Mr McKenna, who wrote the guides with wife, Sally, said many restaurants experienced their best year ever in business last year. “I have heard from so many restaurants and hotels who not only had their best year in business but had their best ever Christmas. What we are seeing here is a shift of the spend from pubs to restaurants. People are looking for that bigger experience rather than sitting in a pub for the evening and having drink after drink.