Most people in Bristol are still going out for meals and drinks less often than they were before the pandemic, despite restrictions being lifted.
That’s according to a survey of Bristol Live readers to mark the two year anniversary of the first lockdown, asking how people’s social lives have changed in that time.
The results show that 53 per cent of people are going out for a meal less often than they were before the pandemic, and 49 per cent are going out less often for drinks at a pub or bar.
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Going out less
People are now choosing to stay closer to home for a night out compared to before the pandemic but more than half (62 per cent) are still travelling a similar distance.
Generally, these changes appear to be because people are still cautious about going to crowded places such as restaurants, bars, and venues, despite the lifting of restrictions.
While a small number of people said they were not at all comfortable going to these places since restrictions ended, a third (31 per cent) of them were very comfortable.
Revolution, a popular cocktail bar on St Nicholas Street in Bristol, has witnessed a steady increase in the number of visitors since restrictions were lifted.
Caitlin Daley, sales executive for Revolution Bristol said: "Business has basically snapped back to what it was before the pandemic. When we came out of lockdown we were very busy - although it was mostly walk-ins. Now, people are booking more - particularly on the weekends.
"We are finding an increase in the numbers of reservations and last month (March 2022), it was equal to the numbers we would normally get around Christmas times pre-pandemic.
In order to entice people to come out, the business has been promoting monthly deals on pizza, burgers or drinks. The company also keep a keen eye on student life as there are multiple accommodations in the city centre.
She said there has been a noticeable difference in the way people have been socialising two years on from the first lockdown.
"At the beginning when it was only table service, people were quite excited to be back and somewhat forgot that not all expectations could be met but more recently, we can see that people are enthusiastic about being able to go out, " she added.
With wedding season now in full swing, the business has been busing catching up on its wedding parties and hen dos that were put on hold when covid restrictions were imposed.
Visitors of the bar may have already noticed some changes being made to the venue over the last few months such as newly installed heat lamps to its freshly laid patio area - a great space for when the summer weather arrives.
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Priorities have shifted
Many people’s priorities have also changed, with a third of people saying that going out has become less important to them now than it was before the pandemic. But it's not just meals, drinks and nights out that have been affected, so have visits to the cinema and attractions such as museums, theme parks and zoos. More than half said they make fewer visits than before.
Gigs and theatre trips saw less of an impact, however, with 62 per cent of people going to gigs the same amount as they did pre-pandemic (with 32 per cent going to a gig less often), and 75 per cent of people going to the theatre as often (compared to 32 per cent going less).
Spending more on takeaways
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the only activities to see a significant proportion of people doing more often were getting takeaways and socialising outside.
Around 32 per cent of people said they were getting takeaways more often than they did prior to the pandemic, with a significant number of respondents saying they treat themselves at least once a week (28 per cent).
Meanwhile, 40 per cent of people said they were socialising outdoors more often, such as going for walks or meeting friends at the park - 41 per cent said they now do this once a week or more.
Overall, the changes mean people tend to be spending less on their social lives than they were before the pandemic.
