March 2025 results from the Association for Cultural Enterprises’ Commercial Performance Barometer have now been published, with over 100 venues taking part. For the third consecutive month, members report a drop in admissions compared to last year, with March’s average decrease at -10%. However, with Easter falling in March last year, a drop was to be expected, and we should wait for April figures to put these numbers into context.
That said, there are other indicators that suggest the slow start to the year has continued. In the latest survey wave, 40% of members described their overall commercial performance as excellent or good, a fall from 43% in February and 47% in January. We’ve also seen ‘optimism for the next 12 months’ fall – only 50% feeling optimistic in March, compared to 58% and 66% in the two months prior.
On the plus side, and despite the lack of Easter holiday, 25% of members reported a rise in visitor numbers compared to 2024, some double digits increases. Also positively, ATV (average transaction value) for both retail and catering continues to be ahead of the equivalent period in 2024, further underlining the resilience of the sector in challenging times.
Finally, this month’s special question revealed that the average price of a paperback souvenir guidebook is £4.47 with the most expensive at £10.00, and the cheapest at £1.00. For venues with more than 500k visitors a year, the price rises to £5.68, with small venues of under 50k visitors tending to charge £3.65. More than a few venues cite guidebook sales as a key revenue driver, so it’s clearly important to get the price right.
That’s our summary of the findings, but members can learn much more via the Association’s online dashboard where you can search by sub-group and merge months. The Association has now had nearly 200 sites contribute to the Barometer in some form, and is looking forward to continuing to grow this service in the coming months.
