Staff

Review of the Week

'Sober October is probably a damn good thing'

13-Oct-2023 By Ed Bedington

The Morning Advertiser's Ed Bedington met up with top gastropub operator Brendan Padfield to get his take on the week's news.

Review of the Week

'Our industry is an engine for social mobility'

14-Sep-2023 By Ed Bedington

The MA's Ed Bedington caught up with Adnams boss Andy Wood to get his take on the week's news, from pricing, to recruitment and wellbeing.

Review of the Week

'I don't feel represented'

24-Aug-2023 By Ed Bedington

Top chef and pub and bistro operator Gary Usher calls for more passion from lobbyists, greater support for independent businesses, a reduction in VAT and talks about the challenges around recruitment in the MA's Review of the Week.

Hospitality needs to change the "relentlessly negative" narrative

15-Jun-2023 By Ed Bedington

The hospitality sector needs to change the narrative on doom and gloom if it wants to attract young talent into the business, according to former Sainsbury’s CEO Justin King.

The Lock In podcast

Solving the staffing situation

05-Dec-2022 By Ed Bedington

With the recruitment crisis still causing challenges for many operators, the Lock In team get to grips with staffing (not like that Heath!) and speak to a range of experts to get some practical (mostly) advice on how to handle the situation.

Pubcos need to step up

04-Nov-2022 By Ed Bedington

Pub companies and brewers need to step up and support a campaign that aims to revolutionise recruitment for the hospitality sector.

Staff wages rise by 6.4% since January

17-Aug-2022 By Nikkie Thatcher

The average monthly wage of a hospitality worker has increased by 6.4% since the beginning of 2022, official figures have shown.

BBG worker strikes to continue into July

04-Jul-2022 By Nikkie Thatcher

Budweiser Brewing Group (BBG) staff who work at the company’s Samlesbury brewery are set to strike later this month (July) after crisis talks collapsed.

The MA's Review of the Week

'Tax relief can help hospitality businesses to reinvest'

01-Jul-2022 By Ed Bedington

Owner of the Veeno wine bar business, Rodrigue Trouillet shared his thoughts on the weeks news with the MA's Ed Bedington, from tax relief to the ongoing recruitment challenges.

Oakman to the rescue in the Archers

20-May-2022 By Ed Bedington

In a stroke of marketing genius, the Oakman Group has stepped into the fictional world in a bid to rescue a team of hospitality workers.

The Lock In Podcast

Can pubs be better employers?

19-May-2022 By Ed Bedington

With staffing challenges continuing to cause headaches for pub operators, the Lock In team tackle some of the issues that are causing the sector problems and have a bit of discussion about baldness discrimination...

The MA's Review of the Week

Pubs must remain an affordable treat

29-Apr-2022 By Ed Bedington

The MA's Ed Bedington catches up with Anglian Country Inns md James Nye to get his take on the week's news, from inflationary pressures, the return to the "new normal" and tackling the recruitment crisis.

Operators cite staffing crisis as biggest issue at ‘very worrying time’

28-Apr-2022 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Operators of gastropubs cited lack of staffing as the biggest issue they were currently tackling, with Covid, Brexit and staff leaving the industry creating the “perfect storm”.

'We find someone’s passion and help them develop it' - What makes an award-winning team tick?

12-Apr-2022 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The owner of Dylans - the Kings Arms, St Albans, Hertfordshire, which bagged the title ‘Front of House Team of the Year’ at the 2022 Top 50 Gastropub Awards, said passion and enthusiasm were what made his team a cut above the rest.

45% of hospitality staff find jobs less appealing than before pandemic

04-Apr-2022 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Under-pressure hospitality workers want more flexibility and appreciation, revealed a new survey by employee experience platform Harri and insight consultancy CGA.

NLW to rise by 6.6%

01-Apr-2022 By Nikkie Thatcher

National Living Wage (NLW) and National Minimum Wage (NMW) will increase from today (Friday 1 April), with the NLW hike labelled “the largest ever uplift”, the Government has announced.

Up pay, advertise more and show progression to attract young people to hospitality

29-Mar-2022 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Operators need to increase pay, advertise roles better and have clear paths for career development to entice young people into the industry, advised hospitality apprentices.

UKH board member appointed as Marston’s non-executive director

07-Mar-2022 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Marston’s has appointed UKHospitality board member Nick Varney as a non-executive director to the board, with effect from 1 July 2022.

The Lock In Podcast

Hard times ahead?

13-Jan-2022 By Ed Bedington

The Lock In team review the Christmas that wasn't and take a look to the months ahead and what to expect. We talk the challenging financial situation with top advice from expert advisor Chris Worden from 1st Business Rescue, hear from award winning...

‘Everyone loves going out to eat, but they don’t appreciate the work in the industry'

10-Jan-2022 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Staffing problems are an “ongoing struggle” at top Hertfordshire gastropub the Fox & Hounds in Barley, which was down 50% staffing levels when reopening in the new year.

Fuller's offers all employees private healthcare

10-Jan-2022 By Rebecca Weller

Pub operator and brewer Fuller, Smith, and Turner, has partnered with Medicash to launch to a new healthcare benefit scheme as part of a package of improvements to its pay and benefits system.

Staff shortages force top gastropub to close week before new year

06-Jan-2022 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Staffing shortages forced the Duck Inn at Pett Bottom, Kent to close a week before New Year’s Day and made Christmas a difficult trading period, said chef-patron Dean Legg.

The Lock In Podcast

Still can't get the staff... the ongoing recruitment challenge

30-Nov-2021 By Ed Bedington

The Lock In team tackle the challenges around the ongoing recruitment and staffing crisis, with special guests Osh Rogers of the Guinea Grill, Dan Razavi of Leisurejobs and Mark McCulloch of Hospitality Rising all providing some expert insight into how...

The MA's Review of the Week

"Feels like everything is difficult to do at the moment"

19-Nov-2021 By Ed Bedington

The Morning Advertiser's Ed Bedington caught up with Vicki Williams from Almond Family Pubs to get her thoughts on the weeks events, from ongoing supply challenges, staffing shortages, through to Christmas ordering nightmares.

‘Everyone wants to be head chef, no one wants to learn anymore’

26-Oct-2021 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The hospitality industry, which is “looked down upon” by UK public, must attract young staff to solve the staffing shortage, said award-winning chef patron of the Purefoy Arms in Preston Candover, Hampshire.

Reduced VAT 'absolutely necessary' for pubs’ survival

25-Oct-2021 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

A continuation of reduced the VAT rate at the Budget this Wednesday 27th October will draw in customers and staff to the hospitality industry, said the director of pub the Red Lion in Shepperton, Surrey.

Cautious optimism for the future

22-Oct-2021 By Ed Bedington

The Morning Advertiser's Ed Bedington catches up with industry legend Peter Borg-Neal, chairman of the Oakman Group, to get his views on the news that have shaped the sector this week.

The MA's Review of the Week

'Can't look at Government, we have to take responsibility for our own businesses'

15-Oct-2021 By Ed Bedington

The Morning Advertiser's Ed Bedington caught up with Brakspear's ceo Tom Davies to discuss the week's headlines, from inflation to business rates reform.

A pub should have banter, says Gareth Ostick

13-Oct-2021 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The casual atmosphere and homely feel is what sets fine-dining pubs apart from restaurants, according to the joint-owner of the White Swan at Fence, East Lancashire.

Hospitality businesses step up efforts to retain staff during mounting labour crisis

04-Oct-2021 By Michelle Perrett

One in six (16%) hospitality jobs currently lie vacant, the latest Business Confidence Survey from CGA and Fourth has revealed.

The MA's Review of the Week

'Surely the messages are clear?'

01-Oct-2021 By Ed Bedington

The Morning Advertiser's Ed Bedington spoke with Frisco Group director James Cuthbertson about the week's headlines.

How to train, retain and upskill staff

01-Oct-2021 By Michelle Perrett

Heineken has shared advice with the on-trade about how to retain staff and combat the rising worker shortages.

End of tax year could be a hammer blow for trade

17-Sep-2021 By Ed Bedington

The Morning Advertiser's editor Ed Bedington spoke to Pelle Pub Co's Hayley Pellegrini to get her take on the headlines of the past week.

Recruiters concerned labour shortages are putting economic recovery at risk

16-Sep-2021 By Michelle Perrett

Nine in 10 recruiters (88%) say that labour shortages are one of their biggest concerns for the remainder of 2021, while skills shortages are a major concern for two in three (65%).

NI hike 'a kick in the teeth'

10-Sep-2021 By Ed Bedington

The Morning Advertiser spoke to multiple pub boss Dianne Irving of Drouth Ltd on the headlines of the week.

Real Living Wage: Best operators have ‘little to fear'

27-Aug-2021 By Michelle Perrett

Increasing pressure on hospitality operators to pay the Real Living Wage (RLW) is likely to prove to be an irresistible force for those who want to employ the best staff, workforce management specialist Bizimply has predicted.

‘Last thing sector needs is another hurdle in place in the race to its recovery’

17-Aug-2021 By Nikkie Thatcher

The issues facing the supply chain and the knock-on effects to pubs and bars is the “last thing this beleaguered industry needs”, the Scottish Licensed Trade Association (SLTA) has said.

Industry responds to accusations about minimum wage

09-Aug-2021 By Michelle Perrett

The industry has responded to accusations the industry needs to review the payment of the minimum wage, highlighting the impact of the pandemic and loss of non-British workers.

Hospitality sector accused of 'shooting itself in the foot' by paying minimum wage

05-Aug-2021 By Michelle Perrett

The hospitality sector, including the pub trade, has been accused of “shooting itself in the foot” by continuing to pay staff the minimum wage.

267k hospitality staff off work thanks to ‘pingdemic’

02-Aug-2021 By Nikkie Thatcher

Six in 10 hospitality firms have had staff off work after being ‘pinged’ resulting in 267,000 – the equivalent of 13% of the industry’s workforce having recently been or are currently self-isolating, according to a trade survey.

Review of the Week

Pingdemic fuels no-show excuses and wine woes

29-Jul-2021 By Ed Bedington

The Morning Advertiser’s Ed Bedington and Frisco Group managing director Heath Ball reflect on the week’s headlines and how the pingdemic is ratcheting up and fuelling no shows.

Jobs round-up

1-in-3 hospitality leavers seek swift return, new SBPA vice president

22-Jul-2021 By The Morning Advertiser

The latest jobs news from the pub sector includes updates from the Burnt Chef Project, Liberation Group and the Scottish Beer & Pub Association.

Opinion

With ‘freedom day’ fast approaching, how should operators handle staff who are nervous about the new workplace?

16-Jul-2021 By Julian Cox, partner and head of commercial law firm BLM’s London employment team

As bars and pubs plan new workplace practices following the removal of restrictions on 19 July, employees may be nervous about returning to work without Covid safety measures in place.

‘We have a societal issue with racial inequality – hospitality is not exempt from that’

15-Jul-2021 By Stuart Stone

As Be Inclusive Hospitality – a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to accelerating racial equality in hospitality – turns one, founder Lorraine Copes reflects on moving the needle forwards and a sector-wide journey that's just beginning.

Opinion – Sober Inn Thoughts

Sober Inn Thoughts: Navigating pub life while ‘fully on the wagon’

15-Jul-2021 By Senior pub marketing and communications manager

I’ve come to the conclusion that I drink too much. Yes, I know loads of us think we drink too much but I really do.

'When likeminded women come together it is very powerful and supportive'

12-Jul-2021 By The Morning Advertiser

Members of the Brilliant Woman Boardroom 2019 programme from the pub sector – and the scheme’s founder Jackie Moody-McNamara – share their thoughts on the challenges facing women in the hospitality sector

Jobs round-up

New hires at WSTA, Marston’s, Pernod Ricard and Mangrove UK

07-Jul-2021 By The Morning Advertiser

Alongside a host of new on-trade appointments, the latest jobs round-up includes recruitment news from Greene King, UKHospitality and Navitas safety.

Licensing Hub – Legal with Poppleston Allen

Top tips: ‘freedom day’ and beer festivals

06-Jul-2021 By Poppleston Allen

The remaining coronavirus restrictions are due to be lifted on the 19 July and it is likely all operators will be looking at alternative ways of maximising trade after such long periods of closure and restrictions being in place.

Opinion

Isolation notices: The shark in the shallows

06-Jul-2021 By Tim Tomlinson, operator of the White Cross, Merchants 1688, the Stonewall Tap, Lancaster, Lancashire

I am sure everyone in the sector is extremely happy about the news we will be allowed to open more or less as normal from 19 July.

44% of Brits say staff shortages have affected their local’s trading hours

05-Jul-2021 By Stuart Stone

Almost half of pub goers have seen local venues alter their trading hours or service patterns due to a lack of staff since the on-trade reopened under the Government’s roadmap.