Live music is key to a successful St. Patrick’s Day for bars and pubs

St. Patrick’s Day offers a golden opportunity for bars and pubs to capitalise on increased trade by hosting live music.

‍

As March 17th approaches, UK cities prepare to paint the town green with guests embracing Irish culture with pints of Guinness, parades, and the most crucial element - live music.

‍

For bars and pubs, St. Patrick’s Day is one of the biggest nights of the year, and live music is a major driver of footfall, making it a business necessity.

‍

In 2024, 27m pints were poured over the weekend, which boosted the UK’s hospitality sector by £81.3 million, a 3% increase from the year prior.

‍

With this trend showing no sign of slowing down, 2025 is another huge weekend for the sector, with the Cheltenham Festival and the Six Nations final all falling within the same week.

‍

Venue operators have recognised the value of live music in elevating the atmosphere and allowing guests to authentically celebrate St Patrick’s Day.

‍

Especially for those venues outside the Emerald Isle, an authentic Irish band can effortlessly transform customer satisfaction, making live music over the weekend not just a nice touch but a necessity.

‍

Live music has remained a core offering for Mulligan’s in Manchester, where they will host eight bands continuously throughout the day.

‍

Owner Pádraig Brady expects to see over 1,200 guests step through their door on Monday, selling 20,000 pints of Guinness, an uplift of their average 12,000 a week.

‍

“Live music is integral to Mulligans, and we have live music seven days,” Brady said.

‍

“We focus on exceptional service, exceptional live music, and exceptional Guinness. All of these things come together to create a great atmosphere for our guests.

‍

“A new element of Mulligan's we’re going after is the atmosphere and creating an experience.

‍

"Live music creates a great atmosphere, as people want to go out for three or four hours and have a great time.”

‍

It’s already well documented the benefits that live music can have on hospitality venues, where GigPig's Live Music Index highlighted that the average managed pub could see an average uplift of around £90,000 by incorporating live music.

‍

However, the benefits extend beyond the bottom line, as the Live Music Index estimates that live events can increase venues’ sales by 33% and footfall by 36%. When live music is on, spending per visit can rise by up to 64% and the number of drinks ordered by 62%.

‍

Regularly mooted as ‘The best Guinness outside of Ireland, this year’s event is set to be the biggest in its history, which will be the first St Patrick’s Day that Mulligan’s will welcome guests to their upstairs space.

‍

Brady added: “I can guarantee that if we didn't have upstairs, they'd be queuing around the corner like last year.

‍

“I'm predicting it's going to be busy.

‍

“We've been adding to our live music offering, where downstairs retains that traditional Irish feel, and upstairs is now becoming more of a party atmosphere.

‍

“But live music is crucial in making guests feel that authentic Irish atmosphere.”

‍

Venues looking to capitalise on the increased trade, maximise profits and enhance customer experience on St. Patrick’s Day should consider live music an essential part of their offering.

‍

Bars and pubs that embrace this trend will be poised to make the most of their operations and improve the atmosphere for their guests.