Impact of latest rail strikes ‘enormous’

Union Aslef announced train drivers will walk out at 12 train operating companies on Saturday 26 November in a dispute over pay.

According to Aslef, its negotiators were engaged in talks with the industry but so far, there has been no offer on pay.

Trade body UKHospitality (UKH) outlined how the ongoing strikes impact the sector at a time when it is already battling a plethora of challenges.

Week of misery

UKH chief executive Kate Nicholls said: “It has been a week of misery for both businesses and commuters as a result of the rail chaos inflicted on the country this week.

“At a time when hospitality businesses are grappling with soaring costs and chronic staff shortages, the cumulative effect of strikes by rail and tube workers is enormous.

“Businesses continue to lose customers who can’t travel and they struggle to serve the ones that do visit, due to staff being unable to get into work."

Footfall down

She added: “Footfall in cities across the country still remains well down on pre-pandemic levels and stifling that even further through strikes is incredibly damaging to businesses

“This is even more pronounced today, typically one of the busiest trading days in the working week. It is essential all parties now work together to come to a resolution that can ensure further rail and tube strikes are avoided at all costs.”

Earlier this year (August), the Night-Time Industries Association (NTIA) said long-term strike action would be “catastrophic, sporadic weekly or daily planned strike action is eating into consumer confidence,​v hospitality and late-night sector workforce who aren’t able to work from home are struggling to find safe alternative transport at night at additional cost".