Industry leaders have warned that despite the strikes being called off, many businesses are still likely to feel the impact of disrupted consumer behaviour and reduced footfall.
The RMT union has confirmed two planned 24-hour walkouts due to begin from midday today (Tuesday 19 May) had been suspended following further talks with Transport for London (TfL) over proposed changes to driver working patterns.
Further strike action postponed
Further strike action previously scheduled for June has also been postponed while negotiations continue.
The decision comes after operators warned the threat of strikes alone was already damaging trade, with cancellations, reduced bookings and lower commuter footfall affecting pubs, bars and restaurants across central London.
Previous analysis from Access Hospitality found Tube strikes had caused hospitality bookings to fall by as much as 67% during last year’s disruption periods.
Kate Nicholls, chair of UKHospitality, told The Morning Advertiser (MA): “It is positive news that this week’s tube strikes have been called off. However, many people will have already changed their plans to avoid disruption, choosing to work from home or avoid travelling into London, meaning hospitality businesses will still feel the impact.
“While averting these strikes will provide some relief, I urge all parties to continue negotiations and reach a lasting solution, particularly with further strike action planned in early June.
We know from previous years of tube strikes that the cost to hospitality can stretch into the millions and we have to recognise that it’s not just lost sales, but the impact on our teams, who also may struggle to make it into work.”
Impact of strikes
Analysis from restaurant reporting platform Tenzo, based on trading data from more than 400 London hospitality venues across more than 90 restaurant groups, found the median venue experienced sales declines of 8.7% during strike action in April, with almost half of operators recording double digit drops in revenue.
One in four venues saw revenues fall by more than 20%, while between 9% and 13% of sites experienced sales declines exceeding 30%, highlighting the severe impact transport disruption can have on hospitality businesses reliant on commuter and destination footfall.
Transaction volumes were also down by up to 7.2%, suggesting reduced footfall was the main driver behind weaker trading, while average spend per customer remained broadly stable.
Previous analysis from UKHospitality found London Underground strikes across 2023 and 2024 cut average hospitality sales in Zone 1 by 32%, with pubs and bars down 38%.
Separately, Harri data from April found hospitality revenue across London fell 18% during recent industrial action, with pubs among the hardest hit operators.
Operators previously told The MA that uncertainty ahead of strikes was increasingly becoming one of the biggest commercial challenges, with bookings and staffing plans disrupted before industrial action even begins.
