Revival of the dinner party

10/11/2011

Taking inspiration from the Great British Bake Off and Come Dine with Me, Brits are reviving the dinner party tradition by staging more than 2.6bn dinner parties each year. But while many are entertaining in the home to demonstrate their culinary skills, five million people are throwing dinner parties just to impress friends and family.

According to latest research, one third of Brits are becoming so houseproud that they’re going to unusual lengths to impress their guests, with many hiding embarrassing items, employing a cleaner and even making small improvements to their home in advance of a dinner party.

New research by Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks has revealed that we Brits are now holding five dinner parties a year on average and when we do, we spend as much time and effort ensuring the quality of our homes as the food we serve.

While almost three quarters of us (70 per cent) will clean our home before guests arrive, some even admit to hiring a cleaner, a third of us search for and hide those embarrassing items and nearly one in twenty admit to taking cooking lessons. The survey also revealed that one in ten will make small home improvements five per cent would purchase some new furniture and two per cent even admit to borrowing a friend’s car just to park it outside.

But while we’re keen to impress with our homes, the food remains the number one priority. The survey of 2,000 adults revealed we’re prepared to spend an average of £26 per head on a dinner party while one in twenty would pass ready-made food off as their own and two per cent have hired a professional chef for the occasion.

Steve Reid, retail director for Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks said: “We’re continuing to a see a trend of Brits entertaining in the home, particularly in the colder months but it’s interesting that some are using this as a motivation to making some small home improvements. Whether it’s fixing a door, plugging a leak or giving a room a lick of paint, making small improvements can be a good way to look after your home.

“However, the food remains the priority. While some homeowners said they would pass readymade food off as their own, our survey also found that nearly 15 per cent of people use TV programmes as inspiration to honing their culinary skills.”