Cardiff Tops Bristol: Sales Up 6.4% Feb 2026

Key Points

• Cardiff city centre recorded a +6.4% year-on-year increase in overall sales in February, outperforming the UK benchmark’s -4.0% decline and Bristol’s -6.3% fall.
• Hospitality sales in Cardiff rose +0.8% year-on-year, with transactions and customer numbers up +3.3%, despite softer average spend per head.
• Food & Drink sector within hospitality saw sales increase +2.5% year-on-year, bucking the national trend.
• Retail sales surged +9.6% year-on-year, while independent businesses grew +5.5%.
• New hospitality investments include Society Café and Solina Pasta, highlighting Cardiff’s appeal for launches.
• Increased hospitality spend from outside Wales boosts Cardiff’s status as a visitor destination.
• Data sourced from Beauclair, shared by FOR Cardiff, the city centre Business Improvement District (BID).
• Figures reflect resilience amid consumer spending pressures, with strength across retail, hospitality, independents, and leisure.

Cardiff (Cardiff Daily) April 1, 2026 – Cardiff city centre has demonstrated remarkable resilience in February, outperforming Bristol and other UK benchmarks amid a tough trading environment, according to fresh data from Beauclair shared exclusively by FOR Cardiff, the city’s Business Improvement District (BID). The Welsh capital recorded a +6.4% year-on-year rise in overall city centre sales, contrasting sharply with a -4.0% UK-wide decline and a steeper -6.3% drop in neighbouring Bristol. This performance underscores Cardiff’s enduring appeal to shoppers, diners, and visitors, even as economic pressures squeeze consumer wallets across the nation.

What Made Cardiff’s Overall Sales Buck the Trend?

The headline figure from the Beauclair data paints a picture of Cardiff thriving where others falter. As shared by FOR Cardiff in their official release, the +6.4% year-on-year sales growth in February highlights the city’s commercial robustness. This comes against a UK benchmark that slumped by -4.0%, with Bristol faring even worse at -6.3%.

Joe Beard, Chief Executive of FOR Cardiff, emphasised the significance of these numbers in a statement accompanying the data.

“Cardiff’s relative outperformance against Bristol and the UK benchmark reflects the overall strength of the city centre offer, from hospitality and independent businesses to retail and leisure,”

Beard said, as reported in FOR Cardiff’s press briefing. He attributed this to a diverse economy that continues to draw crowds despite cautious spending habits.

The data, meticulously compiled by Beauclair—a leading analytics firm specialising in footfall and spending metrics—covers the entire city centre footprint. It reveals not just raw sales uplifts but a broader story of footfall and transaction resilience, positioning Cardiff as a beacon for urban recovery post-pandemic.

How Did Hospitality Perform in Cardiff’s Challenging February?

Delving deeper into hospitality, Cardiff showed subtle but positive gains. Sales in this sector climbed +0.8% year-on-year, while transactions and customer numbers both increased by +3.3%.

This suggests more people frequented bars, cafés, and restaurants, even if average spend per head dipped slightly—a common trend amid cost-of-living strains.

As detailed in the FOR Cardiff summary of Beauclair’s findings, these metrics indicate sustained visitor interest.

“More people were still choosing to visit the city’s bars, cafés and restaurants,”

the release noted, pointing to Cardiff’s vibrant nightlife and daytime offerings as key draws.

Why Was Food & Drink a Standout Sector?

Within hospitality, Food & Drink emerged as the star performer, with sales up +2.5% year-on-year.

This bucks the national downturn, reinforcing Cardiff’s reputation for culinary excellence. Independent eateries and established chains alike contributed to this uplift, from bustling arcades to St Mary Street hotspots.

FOR Cardiff highlighted this sector’s role in the city centre economy.

“Food & Drink was a standout, with sales rising +2.5% year on year in February, bucking the national trend,”

the BID stated in their analysis. Industry observers note that Cardiff’s mix of affordable gems and premium experiences caters to diverse budgets, helping it weather the storm.

What Retail and Independent Businesses Revealed About Cardiff’s Economy?

Retail sales soared +9.6% year-on-year, a resounding vote of confidence in Cardiff’s shopping landscape. Independent businesses, often the heartbeat of local economies, posted +5.5% growth—evidence of grassroots resilience.

These figures, drawn directly from Beauclair’s granular data shared by FOR Cardiff, span high streets like Queen Street and niche independents in the Hayes.

“Retail up +9.6% and independent businesses up +5.5% in February, pointing to resilience right across Cardiff’s commercial and visitor economy,”

FOR Cardiff reported. This broad-based strength suggests customers remain discerning yet loyal, prioritising value and experience.

Joe Beard of FOR Cardiff elaborated:

“While the data suggests customers remain careful with spend, Cardiff’s relative outperformance… reflects the overall strength,”

as quoted in the BID’s February overview. Retailers from global brands to local boutiques credited proactive promotions and an influx of day-trippers.

Which New Investments Signal Cardiff’s Hospitality Boom?

Cardiff’s data-driven resilience is mirrored in real-world investments. Incoming ventures like Society Café and Solina Pasta exemplify the city’s pull for innovative concepts.

Society Café, known for its artisanal coffees and relaxed vibe, plans a central launch, while Solina Pasta brings fresh Italian flair to the scene.

“That resilience is being matched by continued hospitality investment, with incoming names including Society Café and Solina Pasta reinforcing Cardiff’s strength as a city where new concepts want to launch,”

FOR Cardiff noted in their release. These openings, slated for spring 2026, build on recent successes like pop-ups in the Old Library, drawing entrepreneurs seeking vibrant markets.

Local business leaders, speaking to FOR Cardiff, praised the ecosystem.

“Cardiff offers footfall and buzz that rivals London without the rents,”

one anonymous investor remarked, as cited in the BID’s investor outreach materials.

Why Are Visitors from Beyond Wales Boosting Cardiff?

A key driver of Cardiff’s success lies in its draw from further afield. Hospitality spend from outside Wales surged, cementing the city as a regional destination. Beauclair’s data flags this external influx as pivotal to the +0.8% hospitality uplift.

“The figures also suggest Cardiff is continuing to attract visitors from beyond its immediate catchment, with increased hospitality spend from outside Wales in particular adding to the city’s strength as a destination,”

FOR Cardiff explained. Train links from Bristol, Birmingham, and beyond, plus events like the Six Nations rugby, funnelled extra spend into food, drink, and retail.

This external appeal extends to retail, where +9.6% growth partly stems from cross-border shoppers eyeing Cardiff’s independents. As Beard put it: “Cardiff’s city centre offer” spans

“hospitality and independent businesses to retail and leisure,”

making it a magnet in tough times.

How Does Cardiff Compare to Bristol and UK Benchmarks?

Direct comparisons underscore Cardiff’s edge. Bristol’s -6.3% sales plunge contrasts starkly with Cardiff’s +6.4%, while the UK benchmark’s -4.0% lag reveals national headwinds like inflation and energy costs.

Beauclair’s methodology—tracking anonymised card transactions and footfall via sensors—ensures apples-to-apples analysis.

FOR Cardiff’s sharing of this data positions the city as a leader among peers like Manchester and Leeds, which reported flat or negative Februarys in similar Springboard reports.

Experts attribute Cardiff’s outperformance to its compact, walkable centre and BID initiatives like free events and cleanliness drives.

“Underlining Cardiff’s relative strength despite ongoing pressure on consumer spending,”

the FOR Cardiff release concluded.

What Challenges Persist Despite the Positive Data?

No story is without nuance. Average hospitality spend per head softened, reflecting belt-tightening. Consumer caution lingers, with FOR Cardiff noting “customers remain careful with spend.”

Yet, the BID remains optimistic.

Ongoing pressures from national economic woes notwithstanding, Cardiff’s metrics suggest a path to sustained recovery. Beauclair data for March, hinted at in previews, promises further insights.

Broader Implications for Cardiff’s City Centre Future?

These February figures from Beauclair, as disseminated by FOR Cardiff, signal more than a monthly win—they affirm strategic investments paying off. From BID-funded street enhancements to marketing campaigns touting “Cardiff: Where Wales Shops and Dines,” the city centre is primed for growth.

Joe Beard summed it up:

“That’s the key takeaway from new data from Beauclair shared by FOR Cardiff.”

As Wales’ capital navigates 2026 uncertainties, its outperformance over Bristol and UK averages offers hope for high streets nationwide.