With the UK’s continuous lockdown restrictions throughout 2020 and 2021 forcing our favourite pubs and restaurant venues to close temporarily, they have been a miss across the nation. However, with the roadmap out of lockdown underway, 12th April saw outdoor pubs and restaurant venues returning once again. Of course, there are still many COVID-19 lockdown rules that must be followed to help prevent the spread of the virus.
One way many venues are choosing to help control the spread of the virus is by allowing customers to book a table in advance for a certain amount of time. As many of us wait eagerly to get back to our favourite social venues, online queues of people trying to book their slot are building up.
With this said, The Inn Collection Group, providers of stunning Ambleside accommodation, collected search data on TripAdvisor and discovered some cities are at an advantage when it comes to having greater availability for outdoor pubs and restaurant venues than others. After finding out how many bars, pubs, and restaurants there were in each UK city, the number of each establishment that has ‘outdoor seating’ was filtered. Using this, it was calculated how many outdoor seating venues there were per 100k of the population.
Are you finding it difficult to book an outdoor seating space in your city? With just 38.2 per cent of licensed premises in the UK having outdoor seating available, we take a look at the top ten cities in the UK that have the most outdoor venue space.
10th Place: Truro
Situated in South West England, Truro takes tenth position on the list of UK cities that have the most outdoor seating available. With 117.2 outdoor pubs and restaurants per 100k of the population, it might be a challenge getting somewhere booked in Cornwall, but not in comparison to other regions of the UK.
9th Place: Lincoln
Located in the East Midlands, Lincoln falls in ninth place for the city in the UK with the most outdoor pubs and dining venues. It has 120.8 outdoor venues per 100k of the population. Finding a free booking slot might not be a walk in the park, but it will still be easier for those in Lincoln than in other areas!
8th Place: Lichfield
Lichfield takes eighth place for having the most outdoor pubs and restaurants venues in the UK. Situated in the West Midlands, the city has a relatively small population of 32,219 and 121 outdoor venues per 100k of the population, meaning there should be plenty places to relax outside this spring.
7th Place: Bangor
Taking seventh place, TripAdvisor data finds that Bangor has 132.9 outdoor bars and restaurant venues per 100k of the population. Situated on the Coast of North Wales with a small population of 18,808, this scenic city is ideal for an evening out to catch up for lost time with friends and family.
6th Place: Bath
With 147.4 outdoor venues per 100k people, those who live in Bath are at an advantage when it comes to finding outdoor bar or restaurant availability this spring. Renowned for being the largest city in Somerset, this is the ideal place to go for a day trip out in a picturesque and charming city.
5th Place: Salford
Gaining fifth place is Salford, who have 159.9 outdoor dining and drinking places per 100k of the population. Situated in the North West region of the UK, those in Salford have more options than other areas when it comes to choosing the perfect outdoor place to spend time at.
4th Place: Chichester
Situated in South East England of the UK, Chichester takes fourth place for the city with the most outdoor bar and restaurant venues. Per 100k of the city’s population, there are 265 venues to choose from.
3rd Place: Wells
Wells is ranked third in the list of cities that have the most outdoor and restaurant space available. For every 100k of the population, the city has 455.6 venues to choose from. With a small population of just 10,536, those in Wells have a variety of options when it comes to finding the perfect place for a pint or two.
2nd Place: St David’s
Not only is St David’s renowned for being the smallest city by population with just 1,841 inhabitants, but it also takes second place for the city with the most outdoor bars and restaurants per 100k of the population, totalling 706.1.
1st Place: St Asaph
Overall, St Asaph in Wales is found to have the most outdoor bar and restaurant seating. With 1,609.5 outdoor venues available per 100k of the population, the second-smallest city in Britain is bursting with outdoor venues to choose from.
As the roadmap out of lockdown plan commences, there is hope for returning to life as we once knew it within the upcoming months and returning to our favourite staycation getaways. When returning to our much-loved local bars and restaurants, we must adhere to all COVID-19 restrictions put in place to make sure that we all stay safe while socialising!
