Industry rallies behind National Hospitality Day
Trade charity Hospitality Action has joined forces with a number of industry leaders to call on the country in supporting the sector by visiting their favourite venue this Saturday to celebrate National Hospitality Day.
The day aims to celebrate all business in the trade alongside suppliers, showcasing all that is great about the industry.
Venues are being encouraged to support National Hospitality Day and many operators are already engaged by organising events and raising money to support the main industry charities.
For example BrewDog bars are offering up free pints and St Austell Brewery is donating £1 from every pint sold across its managed pubs.
Michelin-starred pub chef and licensee Tom Kerridge said: “All our biggest moments go on in hospitality venues, from first dates to weddings, and baby showers to wakes, they’re where the moments that make life worth living take place. That morning chat with your friendly barista, a cheeky pint after work with mates, Saturday morning soaks in a hotel pool, or Sunday roast with the family…we all took these experiences for granted.
“National Hospitality Day is a chance for us all to say “welcome back, we’ve missed you, and thanks for everything you’ve been doing” to our favourite venues. Restaurants, pubs and hotels up and down the country will be pulling out the stops to give everybody a great day out.”
Government support
National Hospitality Day also has the full support of the Government, with business minister Paul Scully MP, issuing support for the day.
He said: “National Hospitality Day is a great opportunity to get behind our great pubs, restaurants and cafes that have been going above and beyond for their local communities throughout the pandemic.
“We’re supporting the reopening, recovery and resilience of the sector so that it can build back better from what has been an incredibly tough period. And whether it’s an extra mimosa with your brunch or samosa with your bhuna, this Saturday we can all do our bit to help.”
National Hospitality Day is being endorsed by trade association UKHospitality.
Chief executive Kate Nicholls added: “Our venues have been through hell over the last 18 months and the majority are still struggling to get back on their feet, even with restrictions now lifted. National Hospitality Day will rightly be a great celebration of everything we love about our sector, reminding customers of the intrinsic role hospitality plays in the social fabric of communities – and helping to raise money for our fantastic industry charities.”
Leading charities
National Hospitality Day is being organised by leading charities Hospitality Action, Springboard, The Drink’s Trust and The Licensed Trade Charity. Funds raised from venues will go towards these charities, who all support the hospitality industry and its workers.
Support has been received across the sector for the day. Elaine Hindal, chief executive of Drinkaware has published an open letter backing the day.
“It is welcome to see that the role hospitality has as an employer is central to the day and Drinkaware understands the impact the pandemic has had on individuals affected by lockdown, furlough, and the risk of redundancy,” she said.
“So, it is appropriate that many participating venues are building a charitable element into their activities with funds raised being donated to four key hospitality industry charities that provide care for those in the hospitality family who need physical, well-being, financial or employment support.”
To find out more about National Hospitality Day, go to www.nationalhospitalityday.org.uk
