Friday News Bites
In this week’s news we see hospitality job vacancies fall, shed light on the growing WFP trend (you’ll have to read on to find out what this means), give a high five to UKHospitality for its new sustainability guide and embrace the sparkle of Eurovision.
Hospitality job vacancies drop
The recruitment crisis in hospitality has been well documented, but this week it was revealed that the number of job vacancies in the sector has dropped by 15,000 over the last quarter. There were 158,000 unfilled roles in the accommodation and foodservice sectors between July and September this year, down from 173,000 from April to June, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). To attract staff, the sector has raised wages and boosted recruitment, with some businesses targeting older workers and offering on the job training to people without CVs. Others have widened staff perks, offered more flexible shifts, and helped their teams with housing and loans to pay off debts.
WFP (working from pub) growing trend
Pubs face a tough time as the cold bites. But one thing we know about the sector is its resilience and creativity. A number of pub operators, such as Fuller’s, Young’s and Brewhouse and Kitchen are looking to attract laptop workers wanting to save on their own heating bills with WFP deals to boost revenue. Fuller’s is offering WFP deals from £10 a day, including lunch and a drink, while Young’s has 185 pubs signed up to its £15-a-day deal, which varies from pub to pub but usually includes a sandwich lunch and bottomless tea and coffee. Being on the road a lot, we will definitely be making the most of these deals!
UKHospitality launches sustainability guide
Sustainability is a hot topic – and rightfully so. As members of UKHospitality, it was great to see the trade body launch a Sustainability Commitment document this week, revealing 10 pledges and guidance to help the sector meet net zero by 2040 targets. The pledges cover four key areas – waste, supply chain, skills and biodiversity – and include reducing food waste by 50% by 2030 and eliminating unnecessary single-use packaging by 2025. Kate Nicholls, CEO of UKHospitality, called on the industry to drive business growth in a “sustainable and environmental way”.
Liverpool wins Eurovision
The news can make for hard reading, but you can always rely on Eurovision to provide some light relief. Congratulations to Liverpool which will be hosting the 2023 competition after this year’s winner, Ukraine, was unable to take up hosting duties due to the war. In a message to Ukraine, Liverpool’s mayor said the event, at the M&S Bank Arena, would “do you proud”. The event will also bring tens of thousands of people to the city, which will be a welcome boost for Liverpool’s hospitality operators.