Spending in Donegal pubs shows biggest increase in the country

Spending in Donegal pubs rose by 60% in February compared to January.

This marked the highest increase in the country, followed by Sligo and Mayo each showing an increase of 57%. Nationally, there was an average increase of 49% in February as Covid restrictions were finally lifted.

These figures were released by AIB, and showed an increase in other sectors too. 

However, the news is not all good. In the grocery sector, there was an 8% rise in spending but the number of transactions decreased, indicating the effects of inflation. These will have been even more acutely going into March. 

head of SME banking at AIB John Brennan said: "Consumer spending in February across the hospitality sector and in general was up as people returned to socialising again.

"However, we are noticing the impact inflation is starting to have on consumers as they spend more on certain items such as groceries, despite transacting less. Given the geopolitical situation at the moment, it’s expected that rising prices will be a continued feature of the economic landscape over the coming months for 

Overall, spending during the month of February was up 7% from January.

Contactless payments rose by 11% and digital wallet payments saw an increase of 14%, showing signs of people returning to shops rather than buying online.