New data from find-a-tradesperson platform Rated People has found that Brits have been getting their barbecue stations and al fresco dining spaces in the best possible shape ahead of summer.
- Demand for new built-in barbecues soars by 72% year on year
- Requests for outdoor cooking spaces have also risen by 32%
- Rated People launches online competition to find the Brit with the worst BBQ
This year, summer has seemed a long way off with many people eagerly waiting for social restrictions to lift. However, in anticipation of getting family and friends back together, Rated People has seen demand for barbecue jobs rise by a staggering 72% year on year.
Weather permitting, outdoor cooking has always been a popular pastime and over 34 million Brits are expected to break out the barbecue this year. Creating the perfect barbecue set-up can be an expensive endeavour and it’s estimated that barbecuing costs us a whopping £293.85 million per year. But, this hasn’t deterred people from making sure their back gardens are worthy of a Texas-style cook-off this summer.
Our love of eating outdoors isn’t just confined to barbecuing either. From pizza ovens to all-purpose cooking stations, Rated People has found that we have been investing in our outdoor kitchen spaces. Year on year, job requests for outdoor kitchens have risen by a third (32%) and when compared with 2019, demand is up by a huge 82%.
It’s possible that the boom in upgrading our barbecues resulted in households decreasing spending on other non-essential items over lockdown, as there has been little change in household income. Also, household savings as a proportion of household disposable income increased during the coronavirus lockdown from January to March 2021. While savings were up, it was expected that households would soon loosen the purse strings and treat themselves as the UK progressed on its path to reopening. What’s more, barbecuing became more than just a hobby during the coronavirus lockdowns with a recent survey finding that 41% admitted to taking it very seriously.[8]
Adrienne Minster, CEO of Rated People commented:
“Summer is all about having fun with friends and family and what better excuse to bring people together than a BBQ? It is great to see so many people enjoying the experience of getting creative and transforming their gardens into spaces where they can entertain. There has been plenty of inspiration on offer over the past year too, with lots of cookery programmes featuring outdoor kitchens.
In early lockdown, we channelled our inner Mary Berry and perfected our banana bread. Now, it’s about the main course and pulling out all the stops to impress! With our new outdoor cooking stations, we’re well on our way to enjoying what we hope will be a long and social summer full of great food.”
Rated People’s BBQ Amnesty
Rated People is on a mission to find Britain’s worst and most neglected barbecues. The find-a-tradesperson platform is asking people to tag @RatedPeople in snaps of their sub-standard barbecues, on Twitter and Instagram along with the hashtag #BBQAmnesty. The (un)lucky person deemed to have the worst barbecue will receive a new built-in barbecue to get cooking.
