Almost three quarters (73%) of Britons enjoy a visit to the pub at Christmas, underlining its role in the community, according to a survey.

Bury St Edmunds pubs and brewing group Greene King, which questioned nearly 1,000 consumers across the UK, found Christmas Eve was an more popular time to visit the pub than New Year’s Eve, with 44% of consumers planning to visit on Christmas Eve compared to 34% on New Year’s Eve.

The research also showed that three quarters of respondents (76%) agreed that the pub plays an important role during Christmas. Greene King chief executive Rooney Anand said: “It’s great to see that visiting the great British pub remains a tradition at this time of year. For many, the pub is the number one choice of venue to celebrate the Christmas period, signifying important role of the pub in the heart of local communities.”

72% of those surveyed said going to the pub is a tradition and 45% of the respondents said they are likely to visit the pub more often during the festive period than they would during a regular two-week period.

The ambience of the pub remains important to customers. When respondents were asked about aspects of the pub that are important to them during the festive period, 57% cited festive decorations, ahead of 55% of respondents saying the festive food menu.