Seven Dials Market adds snow and Baileys as bar sales climb 15%
KERB says October bar sales at its Covent Garden food hall rose 15% to £1.8m, and now the market is adding indoor snowfall and festive dishes until 31 December.
While much of the pub and bar trade has been counting the cost of a soft autumn, one Covent Garden food hall says it has had a good October. Seven Dials Market, run by KERB, reports that bar sales rose 15% and that October revenue reached £1.8m, according to Hospitality & Catering News.
The context matters. The same report cites new research from NIQ showing that drinks sales at managed venues declined year on year in three of the four full weeks of October.
What changed in October
The market houses 21 independent London food traders and two bars. In October, KERB introduced Dials After Dark, a programme of live bands, DJs and other performers on Friday and Saturday evenings. The idea is to keep people in the food hall later into the night, pairing street food with drinks and entertainment. KERB says the programme has contributed to higher bar sales, alongside its wider events and brand partnerships.
It also ran Seven Sins Market, a ten-day Halloween collaboration with Meantime Brewing Company. That meant a branded bar takeover, theatrical performances, limited-edition dishes and an evening drinks promotion. According to KERB, more than 1,500 servings of Meantime beer were sold.
Simon Mitchell, chief executive of KERB, framed it as a lesson for the wider trade. “The challenge for hospitality operators is giving people a compelling reason to go out, particularly when household budgets remain under pressure,” he said.
Now: indoor snow
The next act began on 12 November. Developed with Baileys, the White Christmas activation runs until 31 December and includes festive decorations, seasonal drinks and a programme of entertainment. Indoor snowfall happens twice daily, at 3pm and 8pm.
The traders are joining in too. Hospitality & Catering News says they will introduce limited-edition festive dishes, including cheeseboard pizzas and Christmas-inspired sandwiches.
The current line-up includes Bleecker Burger, Oh My Dog!, Lucky's Hot Chicken, Pick & Cheese and Stakehaus. Earlier this year the market added three new traders: HOKO, Bask Street Boys and Masa Tacos, the last billed as London's first tortilla bar.
The bigger picture
Seven Dials Market has operated in Covent Garden since 2019 and is part of KERB's wider business of food markets, catering and events. In May, KERB reported that its network of independent traders generated £38.9 million in revenue during 2025, an 18.9% rise on the year before.
These are the operator's own figures, and a food hall with a programme of gigs and brand tie-ins is a particular kind of business. Still, the formula is plain enough: food, a drink, and a reason to stay for another one. Mitchell said the Christmas programme would bring "a sense of theatre, fun and festive magic" to the heart of Covent Garden.
Know before you go
- Where: Seven Dials Market, Covent Garden
- White Christmas with Baileys: 12 November to 31 December
- Indoor snowfall: twice daily, 3pm and 8pm
- Dials After Dark live music and DJs: Friday and Saturday evenings
Sources: Hospitality & Catering News
