Operator confidence slips in just 7 days
The latest Hospitality Leaders Poll carried out by Lumina Intelligence for The Morning Advertiser's sister title MCA revealed just 42% of those in the trade are now not confident about their business – up 10% from the previous survey.
Just one in 10 (12%) said they were "confident", 41% were "quite confident" and 5% "very confident".
The previous poll showed 32% of respondents were "not confident" in the future of their business with 68% showing levels of confidence.
This came after restrictions such as staff and customers wearing face masks and the 10pm curfew being imposed on pubs, restaurants, cafés and other hospitality businesses.
Operators were also asked how much hospitality venues were responsible for being a source of rising infections, with half (51%) of those surveyed saying it was “negligible”.
Health data
One third (34%) said the trade was “somewhat” responsible, 7% said not at all, 6% believe the sector was “considerably” responsible and 2% see the industry as a “major source”.
Public Health England (PHE) data found coronavirus cases from 29 July to 1 September increased by 2,704 however, when broken down into cases reported per week, the biggest jump was the week from 9 September to 15 September (cases reported were 18,660 – an increase of 5,615).
The second largest increase in cases reported was the week prior – 2 September to 8 September, which saw a rise of 5,144 (to 13,045).
This was also the same time (September) Government began encouraging office workers to return to their workplaces.
Trade position
The poll also asked the 262 respondents “following the popularity of Eat Out to Help Out and as we enter into Autumn, how do you rate the hospitality industry’s current position?”
More than half (61%) said the trade’s position was going backwards and getting worse. Just a fifth (21%) claimed the sector was moving forwards and making progress and a similar amount (18%) believed there is no change.
The previous survey polled respondents on their expectations the Government’s ‘rule of six’ will have on business with a fifth (21%) of the 219 operators asked saying the new law will have a major (negative) impact with 27% forecasting a minor impact and 37% a moderate shift.
Just 3% expect a positive outcome from the new law while 11% don’t predict any kind of impact from it.
