Research: The Value of Hospitality Venues to Social and Mental Wellbeing

The International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD) has published a report on the value of hospitality venues to social and mental wellbeing. The report provides results of international polling by YouGov and focus groups conducted by WorldThinks between May and August 2021. You can access the full report here.

Key insights from YouGov research include:

• Hospitality venues make an important contribution to social and mental wellbeing. 
  • 66% of adults polled agreed the social and mental wellbeing of the general population has been negatively impacted as a direct result of the closure of hospitality venues
  • 45% agreed that their own social and mental wellbeing had been negatively affected by closure of cafes, bars, and restaurants
  • Since lockdowns, 57% of adults have a better appreciation for the contribution the hospitality sector brings to their own social and mental wellbeing
• Hospitality venues offer important spaces for people to reconnect with others around them, promoting positive social and mental wellbeing
  • Over one-in-five (22%) said cafés, bars, and restaurants now have greater significance as places to avoid feelings of loneliness 
  • 45% agreed that socializing with friends and family outside the home once any restrictions lifted has had the biggest impact on their happiness
  • Most adults (71%) agreed that the measures introduced because of COVID-19 have improved their café, bar, and restaurant experience