Restaurants and hotels prepare for Black Friday sales surge

By Sophie Witts

- Last updated on GMT

Restaurants and hotels prepare for Black Friday sales surge

Related tags 2016

Restaurants and hotels are preparing to cash-in on this year’s Black Friday madness, with shoppers set to spend almost £2bn over the weekend.

Around 14m people are expected to take part in the flash sale, starting on 25 November and ending with ‘Cyber Monday’ on the 28th as buying continues online.

UK shoppers are predicted to spend £1.96bn over the weekend this year, up 19 per cent on last year’s £1.65bn, according to research from VoucherCodes.

Some of the biggest deals in 2015 were in the hospitality sector, with restaurants and travel firms offering average discounts of 45 per cent.

This year hospitality firms are offering major savings to meet the expected surge in interest.

Food deals

Strada​ has already released extra tables for its flash sale, where diners can order a pizza, pasta or risotto dish for just £1 on 25 November from 11-6pm. The chain has freed up extra tables following a ‘ruckus’ of demand.

Meanwhile Pieminister​ is turning the retail tradition on its head, and will be giving away frozen surplus stock in return for donations to homelessness charity Shelter on 25 November.

Likewise The Real Food Cafe​ in Tyndrum, Scotland, is launching the alternate #CrapFriday campaign to raise money to build toilets in impoverished communities in Malawi.

The Cafe will donate £1 to the cause when a customer spends £20 on food or purchases a selection of treats.

It is hoping to raise £1200 by 25 November to build at least 20 toilets, each of which will be ‘twinned’ with a Scottish loo.

Room bookings

In the hotel sector Morgans Hotel Group​ is offering up to 50 per cent off stays in its luxury London properties, including Sanderson London and Mondrian at Sea Containers on the South Bank, when booked on Cyber Monday.

Members of AccorHotels’​ Le Club loyalty programme can also access a 30 per cent discount off stays between 5 December 2016 - 17 April 2017 when booked over the Black Friday weekend.

Claire Davenport, managing director at VoucherCodes said: “Last year’s Black Friday was the biggest ever in the UK, British shoppers splurged a total of £1.65 billion snapping-up bargains in the 24 hour period.

“This year, whilst growth in spending is supposed to be slightly more modest compared to previous years, the date will be a key one for shoppers and retailers alike.”

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