UK businesses fully trading: accommodation & food
UK businesses fully trading: accommodation & food stood at 88.5% in Aug 2026, according to ONS — Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS). It is one of the indicators in the Business trading status (BICS) table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Sep 2021 to Aug 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Business trading status (BICS) table
| Indicator | 08-2026 | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | 11-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Currently fully trading | |||||||||||
| Accommodation & food service | 88.5 | 89.3 | 80.7 | 88.1 | 80.4 | 82.5 | 71.6 | 71.9 | 74.5 | 79 | |
| Information & communication | 78.7 | 74 | 79.2 | 78 | 77.3 | 72.6 | 76 | 73.2 | 70.6 | 78.2 |
Understanding UK businesses fully trading: accommodation & food
Hotels, restaurants, pubs, catering providers, and hospitality venues across the United Kingdom maintaining regular service schedules comprise the population measured by this series. The percentage isolates hospitality businesses operating at full capacity from those affected by restricted hours, temporary closures, or permanent cessation. Because this industry relies heavily on consumer discretionary spending and tourism, its trading status serves as a sensitive gauge of consumer confidence.
Extreme seasonal swings characterise this sector, with summer tourism and winter holiday periods creating predictable peaks that dwarf normal month-to-month variation. Early survey estimates are frequently revised as independent hospitality establishments submit late responses. Comparing this series with financial turnover data requires noting that a venue can remain fully open while running at low occupancy rates. Analysts should rely primarily on year-on-year comparisons to avoid misinterpreting routine seasonal closures of seasonal tourist venues as broader economic distress.
Frequently asked questions
- Does this hospitality series account for businesses that open only during specific tourist seasons?
- Seasonal venues that pause operations during off-peak months are counted as temporarily closed during those periods rather than permanently shut.
- Why can trading status differ from financial performance in accommodation and food services?
- A restaurant or hotel can maintain regular opening hours while experiencing low guest numbers or reduced average spend per customer.
- How does weather impact this indicator?
- Severe weather events can force outdoor hospitality venues to suspend operations temporarily, creating short-term dips in the fully trading proportion.