For years, March was treated like a warm-up, a quieter run-in to the real spring season. That’s changed.

Hospitality venues across the UK are seeing real pressure building earlier than ever. Between Mother’s Day (15th March) and Easter weekend (3rd – 6th April), trading uplift is already landing by the first week of the month.

Guests are out earlier, and expectations are higher. Spring set menus. Spa weekends. Sunday roasts. Wedding bookings. It’s no longer about building momentum, it’s about meeting it.

 

Spring Pressure Starts Early in Hospitality

According to data from The Morning Advertiser and OpenTable, Mother’s Day is now the busiest Sunday of the year for most UK venues and Easter Sunday sees around 60% of bookings land during lunch service.

That’s not pressure on just one day. It’s a shift in how spring works for hospitality.

 

What we’re seeing already:

  • Sunday services under strain by the first weekend of March
  • Spring menus launching earlier to meet guest demand
  • Set brunches, spa stays, and weekend specials hitting rotas across the North

 

The important thing to know? This pressure is predictable and that’s what makes it manageable.

 

How Venues Are Planning Teams for Spring

At Ginger Hospitality, we’ve had more early rota planning calls in February than this time last year. And it’s not just about short-term cover.

Here’s what many of our partner venues are already doing:

  • Building their permanent team early, to create structure and consistency for the year ahead
  • Locking in Front of House Relief cover before they hit full stretch
  • Blending Permanent and Relief from the outset to avoid backtracking or burnout

 

These aren’t massive chains with big HR teams. They’re Pubs, Restaurants, Hotels, and Venues who know the value of being ready.

 

Smart Spring Staffing: What Operators Are Doing

The most strategic venues we support aren’t waiting to see how March unfolds. They’re shaping it.

Here’s how they’re using spring hospitality planning to stay ahead:

  • Booking Relief staff for specific weekends (Mother’s Day, Easter Sunday, key events)
  • Reviewing rotas weekly, not just reacting when someone calls in
  • Using Relief support as a preventative measure, not a crisis fix
  • Working with Ginger to map known pressure points and create a plan that works

 

This kind of planning doesn’t just help operations run smoother, it changes the tone of the whole team.

 

Spring Hospitality Planning That Works

When you start planning early, everything gets lighter.

There’s less scramble. Less burnout. Less chance of compromising the guest experience.

It’s not about over-preparing. It’s about steady, realistic team thinking that matches your venue’s pace and priorities.

At Ginger, we’re seeing it already: smart operators using March to make the rest of spring calmer, smoother, and more profitable.

 

If you want to talk through your own spring hospitality planning for Easter, Mother’s Day, or just the months ahead. We’re always here.

01200 890 890