English Riviera Performance Monitor

The English Riviera Performance Monitor (previously known as the How’s Business Survey) will be circulated monthly by email to all ERBID businesses.

This survey is very important. Your individual input remains confidential but the consolidated figures allow us to measure trends across the resort and benchmark against performance across the South West.

May 2022

Once again, May saw the largest proportions of all businesses experiencing a decrease in visitors/customers and turnover (49% and 44% respectively) compared with 2019 (pre-pandemic) with changes of -12% and -9% in visitors and turnover respectively.

25% of businesses reported better than expected business levels over the Platinum Jubilee bank holiday weekend, whilst the majority (51%) said their business levels during this period were as they would usually expect at this time of the year and a quarter said they were worse than expected. 48% of businesses anticipated decreased bookings for

June compared with 2019 levels, whilst 58% and 57% of businesses respectively anticipated the same for July and August. However, this may change as we move further into the year.

87% of businesses are most concerned about rising energy costs, 76% about increases in other business costs e.g. food and other supplies etc. and/or 65% in the increase in the cost of living generally.

April 2022

Despite the Easter holidays falling during April this year around half of all businesses experienced a decrease in visitors/customers and turnover with changes of -10% and -6% in visitors and turnover respectively compared with 2019 (pre-pandemic).

Anticipated bookings for May, June and July would appear to show a similar picture with around three fifths of all businesses in each case predicting decreased bookings compared with 2019 levels. However, this may change as we move further into the year.

March 2022

The new style confidential survey takes just 5 minutes to complete and collects data regarding the previous month regarding footfall and occupancy and forecasts moving forwards, highlighting any areas of concern. The data once analysed will be uploaded below by month for everyone to view.

As the country continues its recovery post the pandemic, business levels were again less positive during March with decreases for both visitors and turnover recorded in this months survey of -3% and -4% respectively and the sector has yet to achieve the pre-Covid levels of businesses experienced in 2019.

January and February 2022

54% of businesses said their business was open for the whole of January whilst 13% said their business had been open for part of the month and 33% said their business was closed for the whole of the month.

Businesses were operating at -22% turnover levels compared to January 2019. Please note that a comparison with January 2019 was used as it was not affected by the impacts of Covid-19 (unlike January 2020).

December 2021

62% of businesses said their business was open for the whole of December whilst 22% said their business had been closed for part of the month and 16% for the whole of the month.

Businesses were operating at -28% turnover levels compared to December 2019. Please note that a comparison with December 2019 was used as it was not affected by the impacts of Covid-19 (unlike December 2020).

November 2021

59% of businesses said their business had been open for the whole of November whilst 16% said they had been closed for part of the month and 24% for the whole of the month.

Businesses were operating at -6% turnover levels compared to November 2019. (Please note that a comparison with November 2019 was used as it was not affected by the impacts of Covid-19).

October 2021

67% of businesses said their business had been open for the whole of October whilst 26% said they had been closed for part of the month and 7% for the whole of the month.

Businesses who were open were operating at +4% turnover levels compared to October 2019. (Please note that a comparison with October 2019 was used as it was not affected by the impacts of Covid-19).

September 2021

94% of businesses said their business was open for the whole of September whilst 6% said their business had been closed for part of the month

Businesses who were open were operating at +14% turnover levels compared to September 2019. (Please note that a comparison with September 2019 was used as it was not affected by the impacts of Covid-19).

August 2021

80% of businesses said their business had been open for the whole of August whilst 16% said they had been closed for part of the month and just 4% for the whole month as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Those businesses open to some degree were operating at +15% turnover levels compared to August 2019 (Please note that a comparison with August 2019 was used as it was not affected by the impacts of Covid-19 unlike August 2020).

July 2021

79% of businesses said their business had been open for the whole of July whilst 8% said they had been closed for part of the month and 13% for the whole month as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Those businesses open to some degree were operating at +2% turnover levels compared to July 2019. (Please note that a comparison with July 2019 was used as it was not affected by the impacts of Covid-19).

June 2021

In June 2021, 82% of businesses said their business had been open for the whole of June whilst 7% said they had been closed for part of the month and 11% for the whole month as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Those businesses open to some degree were operating at +6% turnover levels compared to June 2019. (Please note that a comparison with June 2019 was used as it was not affected by the impacts of Covid-19 82%, unlike June 2020.)

May 2021

In May 2021, 69% of businesses said their business had been closed for part of May as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, 21% were open for the whole month whilst 10% said their business was closed for the whole of May. Those businesses still open to some degree were operating at -40% turnover levels compared to May 2019.

April 2021

In April 2021, 73% of businesses were closed as a result of COVID-19, 18% were closed for part of the month and 10% had remained open. Those businesses still open to some degree were operating at -52% turnover levels compared to April 2019.

March 2021

In March 2021, 91% of businesses were closed during as a result of COVID-19, 7% were closed for part of the month and just 2% had remained open. Those businesses still open to some degree were operating at -63% turnover levels compared to March 2019. Please note that a comparison with March 2019 was used as it was not affected by the impacts of Covid-19 (unlike March 2020).

February 2021

In February 2021, 96% of businesses were closed during as a result of COVID-19, 3% were closed for part of the month and just 1% had remained open. Those businesses still open to some degree were operating at -50% turnover levels compared to February 2020. An additional £46.5 million of anticipated tourism business turnover has been lost to the end of February 2021 resulting in a total loss to date for on the English Riviera (including 2020) of approximately £278.5 million.

January 2021

In January 2021, 95% of businesses were closed during as a result of COVID-19, 2% were closed for part of the month and just 3% had remained open. Those businesses still open to some degree were operating at -62% turnover levels compared to January 2020.

December 2020

In December 2020, 58% of businesses were closed during as a result of COVID-19, 37% were closed for part of the month and just 5% had remained open. Those businesses still open to some degree were operating at -61% turnover levels compared to December 2019. Compared to the whole of 2019 it is estimated that approximately £232 million of anticipated tourism business turnover has been lost on the English Riviera during 2020 due to COVID-19, 55% of the total anticipated turnover for the year.

November 2020

In November, 83% of businesses were closed as a result of COVID-19, 13% were closed for part of the month and just 4% had remained open. The overall change in turnover for all businesses trading was -76% compared to November 2019. To the end of November it is estimated that approximately £216 million of anticipated tourism business turnover has been lost on The English Riviera due to COVID-19 since February.

October 2020

In October 2020, 14% of businesses were closed as a result of COVID‐19 and 55% of those still open to some degree were operating at decreased turnover levels compared to October 2019. The overall change in turnover for all businesses trading was ‐29% compared to October 2019.To the end of October it is estimated that approximately £200 million of anticipated tourism business turnover has been lost on The English Riviera due to COVID‐19 since February.

September 2020

In September, 10% of English Riviera businesses were closed as a result of COVID-19 and 37% of those still open to some degree were operating at increased turnover levels compared to September 2019. The overall change in turnover for all businesses trading was -8% compared to September 2019. To the end of September it is estimated that approximately £191 million of anticipated tourism business turnover has been lost on The English Riviera due to COVID-19 since February. 17% of turnover was lost in September (£7 mn), 14% of August turnover (£10 mn), 50% of July turnover (£33 mn), 95% of June turnover (£43 mn), 99% in each case during May (£39 mn) and April (£35 mn), 81% of March turnover (£21 mn) and 14% of February turnover (£3.4 mn).

August 2020

In August, 11% of English Riviera businesses were closed as a result of COVID-19 and 42% of those still open to some degree were operating at increased turnover levels compared to August 2019. The overall change in turnover for all businesses trading was +3% compared to August 2019. To the end of August it is estimated that approximately £184 million of anticipated tourism business turnover has been lost on The English Riviera due to COVID-19 since February. 14% of turnover was lost in August (£10 mn), 50% of July turnover (£33 mn), 95% of June turnover (£43 mn), 99% in each case during May (£39 mn) and April (£35 mn), 81% of March turnover (£21 mn) and 14% of February turnover (£3.4 mn).

July 2020

In July, 91% of businesses said they had now re-opened, 6% hadn’t re-opened but planned to in the near future and 3% still had no plans to re-open. To the end of July it is estimated that approximately £174 million of anticipated tourism business turnover has been lost on The English Riviera due to COVID-19 since February: 50% of turnover was lost in July (£33 mn), 95% of June turnover (£43 mn), 99% in each case during May (£39 mn) and April (£35 mn), 81% of March turnover (£21 mn) and 14% of February turnover (£3.4 mn).

June 2020

In June, 90% of businesses said their business was closed for the whole month as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, 4% had been closed for part of the month and 5% had remained open. To the end of June it is estimated that approximately £141 million of anticipated tourism business turnover has been lost on The English Riviera due to COVID-19 since February: 95% of turnover was lost in June (£43 mn), 99% in each case during May (£39 mn) and April (£35 mn), 81% of March turnover (£21 mn) and 14% of February turnover (£3.4 mn).

May 2020

In May 2020, 96% of businesses said their business was closed as a result of the COVID‐19 pandemic, 3% had been closed for part of the month and just 1% had remained open. To the end of May it is estimated that approximately £98 million of anticipated tourism business turnover has been lost on The English Riviera due to COVID‐19 since February: 99% of turnover was lost in each case during May (£39 mn) and April (£35 mn), 81% of March turnover (£21 mn) and 14% of February turnover (£3.4 mn)

April 2020

The April 2020 survey saw businesses really feeling the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic with 98% of businesses closed during April as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, 1% had been closed for part of the month and 1% had remained open. To the end of April it is estimated that approximately £59 million of anticipated tourism business turnover has been lost on The English Riviera due to COVID-19 since February.

March 2020

No performance monitor was conducted in March 2020 as the full seriousness of Covid came to light with Lockdown 1 announced.

February 2020

The February 2020 survey saw businesses already starting to feel the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic with very significant decreases in both visitors (-37.7%) and turnover (-38.6%) compared to the same time last year and both decreases were higher than the region as a whole (-23.8% visitors and -22.6% turnover). We estimate the value of turnover decrease in February for the ER to be approximately £8.1m with the COVID-19 pandemic accounting for £3.4m of this.

90%, 93% and 90% of businesses respectively were anticipating decreased performance for March, April and the Easter holidays.

Business optimism has also decreased dramatically to 2.84 compared with 3.23 for the region as a whole.

January 2020

Overall, January 2020 saw a decrease in visitors compared to last year (-3.1%) with no real change in turnover for the English Riviera (-0.3%) with both below the region as a whole (-0.1% visitors and +0.4% turnover).  The largest proportions of businesses are anticipating increased or level performance for February (57%) whilst, in contrast, 58% are anticipating decreases for March which is more of a concern but this could improve by the time the data is collected.  However, the increasing media coverage around the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) which is rapidly changing on a daily basis could also potentially have an impact on bookings during this time and moving into the key holiday taking period.  Whilst it is still very early days, some businesses have already started raising concerns this month over the impact of the virus on their potential future bookings, particularly with Easter fast approaching which usually marks the start of the season for most businesses.  As discussed, we will be keeping a close eye on any potential impacts of the virus on tourism businesses and tracking these impacts through the survey over the next few months.  At 6.13 business optimism however has remained almost unchanged compared with last month.