UKHospitality: Government must 'step up' to support sector

The Commission, led by UKHospitality, aims to promote understanding the importance and potential of the UK’s hospitality sector by bringing together a wide range of hospitality employers, All-Party Parliamentary groups, and other stakeholders, industry bodies and authorities.

In the Commission’s second session on 12 June, delegates heard from Courtney Avery, a youth employment UK ambassador; Nikki Kelly, acting CEO and director of programmes at Tottenham Hotspur Foundation; Sunder Katwala, director of British Future; and Conor D'Arcy, senior research and policy analyst at the Resolution Foundation.

The key ideas discussed at the session included offering more part-time senior positions, reviving the Saturday job, developing work schemes that complement older workers and doing more to showcase real life examples of progression.

Speakers also called for the Government to put hospitality front and centre of the Industrial Strategy. 

Chair of the second evidence session, and chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Youth Employment Michael Tomlinson MP said: “It was brilliant to hear from a variety of speakers on how we can work together to promote hospitality across the UK. 

“I was particularly interested to hear Courtney’s comments on why young people don’t view the industry as a long-term career path, and I look forward to working with the commission to develop tangible recommendations to address this issue.”

UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls added: “The hospitality sector is diverse in workforce and reach across the UK.

“The industry employs more women than men and is the second largest employer of EU workers and the fifth highest as a percentage of the workforce.

“Now is the time for Government to step up and support our industry in developing the hospitality workforce of the future.”

The third session – which will be co-chaired by Gordon Marsden MP, Shadow Education Minister and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality Industry; and Nic Dakin MP, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Education – will be held in early July and focus on education and skills in the industry.