Why saunas are quickly becoming the next generation’s pub
Is this the new norm?
Over 2,383 pubs have disappeared since 2020, and they continue to close at the rate of 8 a week due to rising business rates and immense economic pressure. In their place saunas have seen explosive growth with sauna numbers doubling in the UK from 2023 to 2024 and more than 100 saunas opening in 2025. This may be due to a fundamental shift in how people now wish to socialize. A recent study reveals that a staggering 43% of Brits aged 18 to 34 have given up drinking alcohol all together. But it’s not just an aversion to drinking driving this change, its an entire shift of a generation’s focus. According a study by McKenzie Gen Z and Millennials make up 41% of all wellness spending across the country and 30 % of these younger generations describe wellness as a priority.
So, will this spell a new way for people in the UK to socialize? No longer will we be messaging feverishly in the group chat to hit the pub hard as the clock strikes 5 pm on a Friday, but instead looking to don a Finnish woven sauna hat and get sweating. With the cost of living continuing to be a core focus in people’s lives, an obvious question springs to mind. How much does choosing the healthier option cost? Less than you’d hope, and more than you’d expect.
Imagine you are in London making this exact choice for your evening, hit the pints or splash the rocks. The average cost of a pint in London currently sits at £6.50 (although I am yet to find an establishment that offers such a price in the last few months), assuming drink a pint every 30 minutes a pub session costs £13.00 an hour. Based on the 2026 pricing landscape for a standard 1-hour communal drop-in session, the mean average cost across London is £23.50. So it will cost you £10.50 more an hour. Personally speaking however my local is £8 a pint and my local sauna is £14 an hour; making the health alternative a no brainer.
As an avid sauna goer, someone who is passionate about health improvement but also likes a drink this is a question I find myself asking all the time. However, is it not possible to have your cake and eat it? To have a sauna and cold plunge which encourages sensible drinking with alcohol free options whilst also being sociable venue.
References
McKinsey & Company. Future of wellness trends. Retrieved from https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/future-of-wellness-trends
Movendi International. (2025, January 28). Alcohol consumption declines in the UK as more Britons embrace alcohol-free ways of life. Movendi International Policy Updates. Retrieved from https://movendi.ngo/policy-updates/2025/01/28/alcohol-consumption-declines-in-the-uk-as-more-britons-embrace-alcohol-free-ways-of-life/
Thinkhouse. (2026). Steam, sweat & social: The new night out. The Youth Lab. Retrieved from https://www.thinkhousehq.com/the-youth-lab/steam-sweat-social-the-new-night-out
Vogue. . Public saunas. British Vogue. Retrieved from https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/public-saunas
Yadav, N. (2026, May 4). Price of a pint in London soars to over £10 for the first time. Evening Standard. Retrieved from https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/beer-pint-price-cost-rise-tax-increase-london-b1281011.html
