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Dawn Anchor, who runs a pub in the village of Kings Worthy, about 60 miles south-west of London, has everything she needs: lots of red, white and blue flags, mini Union Jack flags and a life-size cardboard cutout of King Charles III.
The coronation of Britain’s new monarch this weekend was a gift to her establishment, one of only a handful of pubs in Britain aptly named The King Charles.
And like many businesspeople grappling with Britain’s economic doldrums, Ms Anchor is hoping the coronation will bring some much-needed cheer (and sales).
At The King Charles, the celebrations begin on Friday with a 17-hour day serving breakfast through dinner, with afternoon tea in between. Fuller’s Coronation King’s Ale, a special edition bitters, will be served on tap and is expected to contribute to the estimated 17 million extra pints to be poured across the country over the three-day weekend, according to the British Beer and Pub Association.
The pub celebrations go beyond the traditional British pastime of drinking. Also planned: cake competitions, dog shows, horse-drawn carriage rides, choral singing and other musical performances.
“I’m hoping for a huge increase” in clients, said Ms. Anchor. But more importantly, she said the weekend will be an opportunity “to show what we’re doing” and to get people moving forward once the coronation flag is down.
“It’s just about what people might do afterward,” she said.
The country – businesses and households alike – could use a break. The British economy stagnated for much of the past year. The inflation rate is the highest in Western Europe, food prices are about 20 percent higher than a year ago and households are feeling the cold grip of a deep livelihood crisis.
Energy bills at The King Charles have doubled and grocery bills have skyrocketed. The restaurant was only able to counteract the rising costs by increasing the number of customers, for example by offering cheaper meals on quiet days. Business has been good, Ms Anchor said, but efforts to lure people into the pub can’t let up. The Coronation weekend is an unmissable occasion.
The hospitality industry in particular will benefit this weekend, which includes a national holiday on Monday. UKHospitality, a trade group, estimates businesses will bring in an extra £350m ($437m) if hotels are allowed to fill up and pubs are allowed to stay open later. Businesses are hoping the coronation can boost consumer confidence, but the celebrations are unlikely to fundamentally change the UK economy.
“The overall impact will likely be very small — could be positive, could be negative,” said Stephen Millard, associate director at the National Institute of Economic and Social Research.
National holidays tend to reduce economic output as offices, factories and many other workplaces close for the day, even as tourism and hospitality activity picks up. Last June’s Platinum Jubilee weekend, which marked Queen Elizabeth II’s 70th anniversary on the throne and included an additional bank holiday, had little impact on quarterly economic growth data.
“The overall picture this year is going to be very sluggish growth, I don’t think that’s going to change – crowning or not,” added Mr Millard. The UK may avert a recession this year as the economy performs marginally better than expected, but what the economy needs is a rapid slowdown in inflation and increased public investment in critical sectors such as health, education and infrastructure, he said.
But the coronation could boost confidence, Mr Millard said. “The economy could use a bit of a lift.”
The last coronation in 1953 should also bring relief. The economy was still recovering from World War II. There were family celebrations, including parades and street parties. Sugar rationing was still in place, although slightly relaxed to help people enjoy the celebrations, according to the UK Parliament website.
Seventy years later, cake and other treats are the focus of celebrations. Grocery retailers sell coronation cakes, cookies, and other items. The Center for Retail Research estimates that more than £130m is spent on groceries and party items, with a further £245m on souvenirs and other memorabilia. The sales would be a boon for retailers, as sales volumes have mostly fallen over the past two years as high prices have forced people to cut back.
Still, the coronation weekend is not expected to be as big as the platinum jubilee, said Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality. But May brings two more bank holidays and the Eurovision Song Contest, taking place in Liverpool this year, and quickly followed by the final of the FA Cup, the popular football tournament.
“There’s something for everyone and we hope to start building that momentum again and rebuilding consumer confidence,” said Ms Nicholls.
“It’s been a long, slow road to recovery” since the pandemic, she said, pointing to higher energy bills and other costs and staffing challenges.
Brigit’s Bakery in central London is taking advantage of the extra tourism. It has decked out one of its double-decker buses, which serves afternoon tea en route, with coronation decorations. For about a month, the Coronation Bus Tour rolls past London’s top tourist attractions three times a day like a moving billboard.
The coronation “brings a huge injection of cash into central London shops and we can reap some of those benefits,” said Mehran Sahabi, the bakery’s operations manager.
It will be a welcome boost as the bakery has watched the cost of essentials – namely flour and butter – skyrocket.
For tourists with a bigger budget, the Hotel Cafe Royal offers a package that includes a private tour of the Tower of London and an after-hours visit to the Crown Jewels. Starting price: £12,995.
The The excursion was put together by Linda Hugo, who has been designing exclusive royal themed experiences for years. Since launching Beyond Curated in 2019, she has had to navigate her business through pandemic-related lockdowns. She hopes the crowning event will mark the beginning of a year-round increase in business and tourism; She is already dreaming up new themes inspired by the king’s interests, such as botany.
“The beginning of the year was a little quieter than I had expected,” said Ms. Hugo. “Even though it’s clearly picking up now, I think maybe internationally we’re still not seeing as much excitement around the coronation as we were expecting.”
She reckons some people will want to avoid the crowds and visit London after the celebrations.
Back at the King Charles Pub in Kings Worthy, there’s also an expectation that this is just a start. Visitors to the pub this weekend will be greeted with billboards promoting upcoming events, including outdoor performances of Romeo and Juliet.
“This is the beginning of summer for us,” Ms. Anchor said.
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