UK nightlife revival as Britons going out more and staying out later
Bolt has revealed a 15% increase in night-time activity over the year-to-date compared to 2024.
Data from ride-hailing app Bolt has revealed a 15% increase in night-time activity over the year-to-date, compared with 2024, suggesting a resurgence in British nightlife.
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Bolt said it analysed millions of trips across the UK taken between 6pm and 6am.
Analysis also found that the peak time to go out has shifted from 11pm on Saturdays to midnight in 2025.
Bath was the nightlife hotspot this year, with 68% of all Bolt trips occurring at night. Bristol followed this with 62%, then Newcastle, at 60%; London, at 56%; and Cardiff, at 54%.
The European transport app, which rivals Uber and offers services including rides and e-bikes, said its trip data pointed to people prioritising nights out over other spending.
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Kimberly Hurd, Bolt’s UK senior manager, said this was a "positive sign that confidence in the night-time economy is returning".
“This year, we saw a shift in how consumers chose to spend their time," said Ms Hurd.
“There’s a growing focus on experiences and social events, which is reflected in more trips on our platform to venues, bars and restaurants as people prioritise shared experiences and nights out with friends."
Recent data has indicated that UK consumers are keen to prioritise spending on entertainment and travel over retail purchases, despite many people’s budgets being squeezed by the rising cost of living.
Card spending data from Barclays showed that entertainment and travel spending rose in the summer, compared with 2024, as people prefer to splash out on fun and memorable experiences.
However, industry bosses have simultaneously been flagging that the night-time market is shrinking as younger people prioritise health and fitness over nights out.
Phil Urban, the chief executive of pub and bar operator, Mitchells & Butlers, earlier this year, said late-night was the toughest part of the market with younger generations less likely to “go out and stay out”.
Meanwhile, Bolt’s Ms Hurd criticised a potential “taxi tax” that would involve charging 20% VAT on all taxi journeys, and is thought to be one of the measures that the Chancellor is considering for her autumn Budget.
She said it risks pushing up fares and making nights out “significantly more expensive, putting pressure on venues and ultimately discouraging people from going out.
“Now, more than ever, we should be supporting, not stifling, the businesses and people that bring our cities to life after dark,” she said.