In late 2023, The Fox, a traditional East End corner pub in Shoreditch, introduced a ‘karaoke den’ in what had previously been an underused third-floor room. This has brought new customers and revenue: Group Sales Manager at Glendola Leisure, Simon Yandell noted how this has attracted a new customer base, “The majority of bookings, especially on weekends, are from individuals specifically searching for karaoke rooms for special occasions.”
This can be seen as part of the growing popularity of ‘competitive socialising’ activities and the changing trends in UK nightlife towards experience-led nightlife, especially with younger generations tending to drink less (Gen Z increasingly known for being sober-curious).
New research has shown that having a karaoke room increases UK venues’ return on assets significantly, suggesting that karaoke could be the ‘silver bullet’ that venues need to attract new customers and increase sales in the current challenging climate (https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/britains-pubs-and-bars-fall-below-100-0000-for-the-first-time-j83hlkc2f).
Aalto University research, commissioned by Singa, the Finnish startup revolutionising the karaoke industry, reveals the positive impact karaoke can bring to venues. Singa currently provides its innovative, professional karaoke tech to well-known UK hospitality venues such as Boom Battle Bar and Roxy Leisure. The study analysed 53 UK venues during 2018-2022 revealing venues with karaoke experienced a 12.2% increase in return on assets (ROA) when compared to a control group without.
