Customers spend average of £16.75 while watching sport in pub or bar: Customers spend an average of £16.75 while watching sport in a pub or bar, according to new research. Data from CGA showed nearly a quarter of UK consumers visit an on-trade venue to watch live sport, with football being the most popular sport to watch in a pub or bar. The CGA BrandTrack research revealed 22% visit a pub or bar to watch sport with 73% of those watching football and 20% watching rugby union. Boxing is also highly rated by those watching sport in a bar or pub, particularly among a younger audience. Sports fans visiting the on-trade to watch live events do so relatively frequently with 20% watching a fixture about once a week and a further 20% doing so at least two or three times a month. Avid fans among the sample (9%) admitted going to a pub or bar to watch a sporting event at least several times a week. According to the research, going out to watch a game is most prevalent in those aged 18 to 34, with 33% of this age group watching sport in the on-trade versus 24% of 35 to 54-year-olds. Lager is the most popular drink when watching live sport (44%), with 21% drinking cider. Arsenal fans spend the most – £18.64 – followed by Chelsea supporters, who spend an average of £17.63 per visit. CGA chief executive Phil Tate said: “The research reveals how crucial sporting events are to the on-trade, with fixtures appealing across the age groups. Consumers who go out to enjoy sport are also very loyal to particular venues. Consumers go out to watch sporting events partly because many key fixtures are screened on subscription-only channels, but watching sport in a bar also gives fans something of the camaraderie they would get at a live game – so they visit for the atmosphere and the chance to enjoy the game with friends. The on-trade needs to recognise the importance of screening various sporting events and use these opportunities as an effective marketing tool.”

Restaurateur Neil Gill to open second Finsbury Park site: Restaurateur Neil Gill is to open a second site in Finsbury Park, north London. Gill is opening Gilly’s Fry Bar in Clifton Terrace on Tuesday, 19 September. The venue will be modelled on the northern fish and chip shops of his youth, but with an Asian twist. It will not only focus on fish and chip shop classics such as battered cod with scraps, but also on the art of tempura cooking – an idea Gill came up with while working with Alan Yau at Busaba Eathai. The menu at Gilly’s Fry Bar will be split into five sections – snacks, fry, raw, donburi rice and sides. To complement the food offering, there will be a highball cocktail menu, introducing combinations such as gin, lemon, cherry and elderflower; and vodka, cointreau, lemon juice and cream soda. Inventive shots, pickles and punches will also be available. The interior of the 35-cover restaurant will have a casual, contemporary design with subtle nods to 1980s Sunderland chip shops. Gill said: “Having established Season Kitchen and The Lamb pub locally, I jumped at the opportunity to open another restaurant within the community that I call home. I love the idea of marrying traditional Japanese with traditional British flavours, whilst using age-old frying techniques in the process! I like fried food and I like highball cocktails, and my gut tells me it is a good idea!”

Gascon Connection Restaurants to provide teaser of new concept at Michelin-starred Club Gascon with pop-up: Gascon Connection Restaurants is to provide a teaser of the new concept for its Michelin-starred Club Gascon at a pop-up while the venue undergoes refurbishment. The company is launching the pop-up at the cloisters of London’s oldest church, St Bartholomew-the-Great. From Wednesday, 13 September until Friday, 6 October, guests can enjoy a four-course tasting menu – Cloister by Club Gascon – created by head chef and founder, Pascal Aussignac. After almost 20 years of trading, Club Gascon closed its doors last month to undergo major renovation. Since it opened in 1998, the restaurant has received numerous accolades, including the Michelin star it has held since 2002. St Bartholomew-the-Great was founded in 1123, making it the oldest church in London, and is located next to Club Gascon in Smithfield. Gascon Connection Restaurants’ other sites are Cigalon, Comptoir Gascon and the newly refurbished Le Bar. It also operates fast-casual concepts Duck’N Roll and Chip+Fish.