400 possible redundancies at JDW airport pubs

This comes just weeks after the pub giant informed head office staff a possible 110 to 130 roles were at risk and claimed at that time, no staff in its sites would be impacted.

JDW chief executive John Hutson said: “The company has written to 1,000 people employed in its pubs at six airports (Gatwick, Heathrow, Stansted, Birmingham Edinburgh and Glasgow) to inform them a possible 400 to 450 positions are at risk of redundancy.

“The decision is mainly a result of a downturn in trade in these pubs, linked with the large reduction in passenger numbers using the airports.

“We should emphasise no firm decisions have been made at this stage. The company will listen to suggestions from staff to help avoid or reduce the number of compulsory redundancies, which are required.

“JDW is proposing to collectively consult with employees through an employment representative committee, which will be established for this purpose.”

Head office redundancies

The pub group notified its entire head office workforce of a possible 110 to 130 positions were at risk​ of redundancy last month (6 August).

It emphasised redundancies would be confined to its head office operations and no staff in its pubs would be affected.

At this time, Hutson said: “The company has written to all 417 people employed at head office (including those regionally based) to inform them that a possible 110 to 130 positions are at risk of redundancy,”

“The decision is mainly a result of a downturn in trade in the pub and restaurant industry generally, a reduction in the company’s rate of expansion and a reduction in the number of pubs operated from 955 in 2015 to 873 today,” Hutson continued, stressing “no firm decisions” have been made at this stage.

Meanwhile, a labour expert warned the hospitality sector will witness a rise in job losses once the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) ends​ next month (October).

Limited availability

Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development senior labour market adviser Gerwyn Davies told The Morning Advertiser​​: “I wouldn't want to put a figure on it but it's clear there will be a spike in redundancies, which will be heavily concentrated in sectors that are more reliant on the CJRS and others and hospitality is one of those.

“One of the unfortunate aspects of this is it will fall disproportionately hard on young people and low paid workers, who make up vast swathes of that sector.

“It is very difficult to reabsorb those workers back into the economy because there are so many. I stress, there are many high skilled positions within those sectors but compared with other sectors, there is a higher proportion of low skilled, low paid workers in those sectors and the availability of substitute sectors for them to move into is very limited.