Pub Summit at EAG: United voice, hard data and political realism shape industry outlook

The Pub Summit at the opening day of EAG Expo delivered one of the most candid and strategically important conversations seen in recent years, bringing together senior voices from hospitality, amusements and payments to examine the pressures facing the sector — and how it must respond.

With business rates, regulation, cost pressures and political uncertainty dominating the agenda, a clear theme emerged: only a united, evidence-led industry voice will deliver meaningful change.

Business rates and structural pressure

Opening the session, Jim Cathcart, Policy Director at UKHospitality, reinforced that gaming machines are not a peripheral issue for hospitality — they are fundamental.

“Gaming machines are not a bolt-on,” he stressed. “They are a core part of hospitality operations, and our engagement with the amusement sector is long-standing and ongoing.”

Cathcart described business rates as the most persistent structural problem facing pubs and leisure venues. Despite rarely capturing public attention, their impact on viability is severe — particularly when combined with rising wages, energy costs, national insurance and regulatory compliance.

He warned that while demand remains strong, layered cost pressures have made it increasingly difficult for businesses simply to return to pre-pandemic trading levels.

Lobbying works — when the sector speaks with one voice

A recurring message throughout the summit was the proven effectiveness of coordinated lobbying.

Cathcart pointed to recent successes achieved through collective action across trade bodies, operators and suppliers, noting that tangible regulatory wins should not be underestimated — particularly in an environment where deregulation is often promised but rarely delivered.

That theme was echoed strongly by Teddy Ryan, Managing Director of Anacta, who reflected on the sector’s successful response to proposed MGD increases.

The proposed rise — described as equivalent to a 4,000% increase — would have devastated seaside and community-based operators. Ryan explained that the campaign succeeded because it focused not on spreadsheets, but on human and community impact.

“Entire communities would have been wiped out,” he said. “That’s what moved decision-makers.”

Political reality heading towards 2026

Ryan provided a sobering overview of the political environment, describing a government under financial constraint, struggling to control the narrative and facing a difficult electoral cycle in 2026.

With cost of living the dominant voter concern and energy the only area with meaningful policy levers, engagement with government must now be tightly aligned to its three core priorities: growth, security and public services.

He cautioned that leadership speculation, devolved powers and fragmented electoral outcomes are likely to keep policymaking volatile — making early, consistent engagement essential.

Data-led insight: cashless and player behaviour

Providing a commercial counterpoint, Simon Barff, Managing Director of CLMS, shared long-term market data tracking performance back to 2007.

His analysis showed that while the sector lagged behind inflation for many years, the adoption of digital and cashless technologies marked a clear turning point, supporting post-COVID recovery and stabilisation.

Barff revealed that AWPs continue to drive the majority of sector revenue, with total annual turnover estimated at £5.6 billion, while cashless and app-based play has accelerated rapidly in recent months.

Across more than 5,000 monitored machines, 88% now support card or app-based interaction, up sharply from around 66% a year earlier. Importantly, cashless play is associated with longer engagement, higher reinvestment and increased hold, particularly in pub and hotel environments.

The road ahead

The Pub Summit concluded with a shared recognition that while risks remain — particularly around regulation, business rates and political instability — the sector has demonstrated its ability to influence outcomes when aligned.

The message to operators, suppliers and trade bodies was clear: collaboration, credibility and clear evidence must underpin every future engagement with government.

With 2026 approaching and pressures unlikely to ease, the summit reinforced that the industry’s greatest asset is not just innovation or demand — but its capacity to speak with one voice, grounded in real-world data and lived community impact.

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15 January 2026

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