SUSHI, CHAMPAGNE AND BINGO IN LONDON VERSUS CLUBBING AND CHEESY CHIPS IN THE NORTH EAST

The capital’s revellers spend more on a Saturday night than the rest of the UK, and are most likely to opt for bubbles and cocktails than anywhere else, and more commonly nibble on sushi and fruit to keep the late-night munchies at bay, according to new research by ride-hailing app Bolt.

The survey of 2,000 adults aged 18-45 reveals what makes the nation’s ultimate Saturday night now that lockdown restrictions have eased.

A typical Saturday night out in London is consistent with the UK average, starting at 7pm and ending at midnight. In contrast, revellers in the North East have the most staying power, partying on till 2am. Londoners are the biggest spenders, averaging £83.10 compared to a national average of £65.20, while the lowest spend is in the South West at £49.50.

The favourite Saturday night pastime in the capital is dining out at a restaurant (52% – the highest nationwide), or pub (both 47%). Londoners are least likely to go to a pub for just a drink (38%) and have a much more eclectic repertoire of Saturday night activities as bingo (14%), bowling (22%), cinema (36%), concerts (28%), karaoke (21%) and live comedy (25%) are more popular here than anywhere else in the UK.

Londoners’ favourite tipple on a Saturday is a cocktail (49% – the highest in the country). They like their bubbles here too as prosecco (34%) and champagne (28%) are more popular here than other regions. In contrast, the national favourite is spirits (47%). Londoners are also most likely to raise an alcohol-free glass with 23% here opting for alc-free beer while 21% go for mocktails. Shots (37%) and cocktails (51%) are biggest in the West Midlands. A simple pint is most likely to be ordered in the North East (44%).

When those late night munchies hit, the most common end-of-night snack in the capital is most likely to be a burger (42% – the highest in the country), chicken (37%) or a kebab (34%). Londoners are also more likely to end the night nibbling on sushi (20%) compared to the national average of 9%, while fry-ups (24%) and toast (26%) are more popular here than the rest of the country. Fruit is the go-to late night snack for nearly a quarter of Londoners – 23% versus the 10% national average. In contrast, as the home of the Balti, it’s perhaps no surprise that curry is the most popular after-hours choice in the West Midlands (25%) while cheesy chips are more popular in the North East (33%) than anywhere else.

Loved-up Londoners are more likely to socialise with their partner (33%), as opposed to a group of friends (30%), family (15%) or best mate (10%).

A pampered 42% of Londoners opt for a taxi to get them door-to-door compared to the national average of 49%. But revellers here are most likely to get a bus (12%) train (21%) or tram (9%) versus other regions. And they’re least likely to walk (13%).

While Bolt driver data shows a significant increase in Saturday night travel since restrictions eased (40%), the research also revealed how the pandemic has made us rethink our social plans. A frugal third (36%) of Londoners say living under restrictions has made them realise how much they used to spend on going out, so now they expect to socialise less to save money, while a similar number (34%) have learned to love Saturday nights at home during the restrictions so don’t think they’ll go out as much as they did before.

Sam Raciti, Bolt’s UK General Manager comments “The pandemic pressed a big reset button on people’s preferences and behaviours for the mighty Saturday night out across our nation. Our ride-hailing data has shown that there’s a lot of pent-up demand for mingling with others and socialising now restrictions have eased and it’s fascinating to see what the ultimate itinerary in each region consists of. Bolt’s mission is all about connecting people to places and moments in real life and we’re excited to continue our expansion to ten UK cities by the end of the year”.