Winter hospitality shifts down 81% versus 2019
According to the latest figures from income streaming provider Wagestream, the number of shifts worked recovered to 57% of non-pandemic levels be at the height of in-person dining during the summer, after pubs were allowed to resume trading from 4 July under Covid-secure restrictions.
As previously reported by The Morning Advertiser, data from hospitality software provider Fourth found that the Government-backed Eat Out to Help Out scheme increased the scheduled hours worked by hospitality staff from 12.9m in July to 20.1m in August – an extra 821 years’ worth of work.
However, winter and its further restrictions heralded an 81% nosedive versus 2019 levels, according to Wagestream, as pubs were forced to close under England’s second national lockdown – which was bookended by regionally tiered restrictions which further stifled trade.
A recent survey from global intelligence platform Streetbees found that just one-in-four (26%) Brits visited a pub between England’s nationwide lockdowns in November and January while a small number of sites were open under tiered restrictions.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson eventually announced a third national lockdown on 5 January amid increasing numbers of daily Covid cases and deaths.
‘Horrendous’ year
Wagestream research previously revealed that the number of shifts being offered to staff was only increasing at a rate of 3% per week during July after venues resumed trade in July following England’s first national lockdown.
“Last year was horrendous for the hospitality industry,” Wagestream CEO Peter Briffett said.
“You can see from the chart how the lockdowns kept pulling the rug out from under the sector and, just as outlets got back on their feet, they had to shut down again.
“Though this year has started just as badly, the hope is that the disruption won’t be repeated on the same scale in 2021 as vaccines begin to allow the Government to loosen restrictions."
