We can start this off this what many might see as a very surprising statistic.
How many hen parties go abroad?
The first thing many hen parties need to decide is whether they're going to stay in the UK or head abroad. There was once a trend to head to sunnier shores, particularly when prices for flights and drinks were far cheaper in a foreign country, but this table shows the split between those that chose the UK or overseas:
| United Kingdom | Overseas |
| 84% | 16% |
That surprised us, but when you think about the cost of living crisis it shouldn't come as a shock. Everyone has been tightening their belts and that includes the amount that brides expect hen party guests to have to spend.
It should be noted that the UK based hen parties were a dramatic increase on the previous year when 75% were in the UK, and that figure followed a trend in fewer UK parties with more deciding to go overseas. Again, we suspect the stresses of finance have probably curtailed the appeal of going abroad for a while and seen the UK increase in popularity.
How much do people spend on hen parties?
If you went back even 10 years, the figures you're about to read were very different. The hen party is now seen as a major event in the UK. Once upon a time it was little more than a pub crawl in the bride's town or the nearest large City. Not any more!
We've compiled this data from 8 major surveys in the last 2 years, but there is one that we've dismissed. Aviva Insurance conducted a survey in 2023 across 1,000 people that had been to a hen or stag party. However, the figures they reported were wildly out of sync with every other survey we researched, and we should also point out that their 1,000 participant audience was the smallest of all.
On average, every person attending a hen party in the UK spends £294. That includes drinks, transport and any venue costs (typically most hen parties in the UK are arranged by the Chief Bridesmaid who will tell everyone how much is needed in advance for the "venue/hotel" costs and attendees will pay this beforehand).
If you think that is too low or too high, bear in mind it is an average figure. There are plenty of survey participants that indicated they paid well in excess of £500, but this wasn't the usual figure and the cost of living crisis has probably contributed to lowering how much people are prepared to spend.
What are the most popular UK hen party destinations?
There was a time when you'd find London at the top of this list, but that changed in a big way in the last 12 months. We've had to look at the time surveys were taken to get the latest data on this, and weighted it towards the more recent data, because there have been significant shifts in the Cities that hold the most appeal, or were the most visited.
This is the latest list of most popular locations for a hen party:
- Liverpool
- Newcastle upon Tyne
- York
- Belfast
- Manchester
- Dublin
- Edinburgh
- London
- Leeds
- Brighton
The North of England has taken a firm grip on the crown of Hen Parties! Liverpool had been hovering around the top places for a while, but has finally taken top spot. Newcastle upon Tyne has long been known as a party City and, incredibly, has been in the top 3 places in every survey for a decade!
York is the new kid on the block in terms of rising popularity with hens, rocketing up surveys in recent years (and we're not surprised when you see how fantastic the night life is there and how fabulous the City is).
Belfast might surprise some, but it won't shock anyone that has been watching the weddings sector and hen parties in recent years, because it has a lot to offer and has become very popular indeed.
Manchester has come so far in the last 20 years that the only thing that surprises us is that it isn't higher up the list. It has just about everything, but as a major City it also comes with slightly higher prices.
Dublin was once No.1 but hasn't been in the top 3 for several years. We're not sure why, but it was clear in every survey that people were favouring the English cities in the North.
Edinburgh is the only City in Scotland to appear in the list and has so much to offer in a relatively small City centre that it is bound to appeal to many. It also has plenty of sights and is a long-loved tourist destination in the UK.
London has fallen down the list and it is tricky to see many reasons apart from cost. It is far more expensive than the other Cities, but there is also a suggestion in the data that hen parties don't see it as closely associated with fun and parties.
Leeds is location you won't see in previous years. It was very clearly becoming popular with the much more recent data and offers a wealth of nightlife and entertainment.
Brighton has been as high as No.1 in some more dated surveys, but perhaps it too suffers from the London cost vibes that have seen the capital slump when the Chief Bridesmaid considers the options?
Liverpool - the Hen Party capital of the UK
There are many reasons Liverpool has risen to top of the charts for Hen parties in the UK. However, one that many aren't aware of is that it has more pubs per square mile than anywhere else in the UK! Over the years, you'll have no doubt heard or read lots of places trying to lay claim to that title, but a survey in 2024 revealed that Liverpool holds the crown today.
Brighton, another top 10 location for Hen parties, came in second with Portsmouth in third place.
However, having a lot of pubs in a short distance of each other isn't essential to being a party kingdom. Newcastle upon Tyne came in 25th, but sits pretty in second place as a haven for Hen parties.
York wasn't even in the top 30 when it comes to pubs per square mile, yet it has still managed to beat masses of other cities by coming 3rd in the overall list of Hen party locations.
Only one place in Scotland found a place in the top 30, although it was a high one in 6th place - the City of Dundee.
Where did you have your Hen party or where are you planning one?
We'd love to hear from you about your hen party. Where did you go, or where are you planning to go and why? What were your thoughts about it and would you recommend it to others?