Dawn Anchor, a pub owner in the village of Kingsworthy, about 60 miles southwest of London, has everything you need. Red, white, and blue bunting, a mini Union Jack flag, and a life size cardboard cutout of Charles III. .
Britain’s new monarch’s coronation this weekend is a gift to her establishment and one of the few pubs in the UK to be properly called The King Charles.
And like many businesspeople enduring the downturn in the UK economy, Mr Anker hopes the coronation will bring much-needed cheers (and sales).
At King Charles, the celebration begins on Friday at 5pm and is served from breakfast to dinner, with afternoon tea in between. Fuller’s Coronation King’s Ale is a special edition bitter, and he’s expected to add 17 million pints across the country over the three-day weekend, according to the British Beer and Pub Association.
Pub festivities go beyond traditional British drinking pastimes. Cake competitions, dog shows, carriage rides, choir singing and other musical performances are also planned.
Anker said customers “expect to see a significant increase.” But more importantly, she said, the weekend is an opportunity to “showcase what we do” and keep people engaged even after the coronation bunting has been removed.
“It’s what people do afterward,” she said.
Countries can take advantage of some respite for businesses and households alike. The UK economy has stagnated over the past year. Its inflation rate is the highest in Western Europe, food prices are about 20% higher than her year ago, and households are feeling the chill of a severe cost of living crisis.
King Charles’ utility bills have doubled and food costs have skyrocketed. The only way for pubs to combat soaring costs was to increase the number of customers, such as offering food at discounted prices on quieter days. Business is going well, but Anchor says he can’t stop trying to get people into the pub. Coronation weekend is an opportunity not to be missed.
The hospitality industry, in particular, is set to benefit this weekend, which includes Monday’s public holiday. Industry body UKHospitality estimates that companies will bring in another £350m ($437m) as hotels fill up and pubs open later. Businesses hope the coronation will spur a rise in consumer confidence, but the celebration is unlikely to fundamentally change the UK economy.
“The overall impact is probably very small. increase.
National holidays tend to reduce economic output as offices, factories and many other workplaces close, despite an increase in tourism and hospitality activities. Platinum Her Jubilee weekend last June, which celebrated the 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the throne and included an additional holiday, had little impact on quarterly economic growth data.
“The big picture for this year is going to be very sluggish growth. I don’t think that will change, coronation or not,” Millard added. The UK may avoid a recession this year as the economy is slightly better than expected, but the economy needs a sharp slowdown in inflation and public spending on key sectors such as health, education and infrastructure. an increase in investment, he said.
But Millard said the coronation could give him a boost of confidence. “The economy may do well with a little recovery.”
The final coronation in 1953 was also expected to bring some relief. The economy was still recovering from World War II. There were familiar celebrations, such as processions and street parties. According to the UK Parliament’s website, sugar rationing was still in place, but eased a bit so people could enjoy the celebration.
Seventy years later, cakes and other sweets are the centerpiece of celebrations. The grocery store sells coronation-themed cakes, biscuits, and more. The Center for Retail Research estimates that more than £130m is spent on food and party supplies, and a further £245m is spent on souvenirs and other mementos. The sale will be a boon to retailers, as high prices have reduced sales volumes for most of the last two years.
Still, the coronation weekend is not expected to be as big as the platinum jubilee, said Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality. But he has two other holidays in May, this year with the Liverpool-based Eurovision Song Contest, followed soon after by the FA Cup final, a popular football tournament. .
“There’s something for everyone and we hope we can rebuild that momentum and rebuild consumer confidence,” Nichols said.
“It’s been a long road to recovery” since the pandemic, she said, citing rising energy bills and other costs, as well as staffing challenges.
Brigit’s Bakery in central London takes advantage of the extra tourist. One of his double-decker buses serving her afternoon tea on the move is adorned with coronation-themed décor. Three times a day, for about a month, the Coronation Bus Tour moves past London’s top sights like a moving billboard.
The coronation “will bring in a huge amount of cash to businesses in central London and we will be able to enjoy a share of the profits,” said Mehran Sahabi, the bakery’s operations director.
This is welcome as prices for essentials such as flour and butter have skyrocketed.
Hotel Cafe Royal offers packages for tourists who can afford it, including a private tour of the Tower of London and an after-hours viewing of the Crown Jewels. Starting price: £12,995.
of outing is put together by Linda Hugo, who has been designing exclusive royal-themed experiences for years. Since launching a company called Beyond Curated in 2019, she has had to navigate the business through the pandemic lockdown. She hopes her coronation will be the beginning of her year-long increase in business and tourism. She’s already thinking of new themes inspired by the King’s interests, such as botany.
“The beginning of the year was a little quieter than I expected,” Hugo said. “It’s recovered significantly now, but I don’t think we’ve yet seen as much international excitement around the coronation as we had hoped.”
She anticipates that some people will want to avoid the crowds and will be visiting London after the festivities.
Returning to The King Charles pub at Kings Worthy, there is also the expectation that this is just the beginning. Visitors to the pub this weekend will be greeted with a sign advertising upcoming events, including an outdoor performance of ‘Romeo and Juliet’.
“This is the beginning of summer for us,” said Ms. Anker.
