Training

Perfect storm: sector saw huge surge in demand and decrease in labour supply post pandemic (Credit: Getty/monkeybusinessimages)

Sector failing to cope with 'surge in demand'

By Rebecca Weller

Industries such as hospitality, in which consumers spent less money during the pandemic, have suffered most regarding job vacancies and employment post-pandemic, according to Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) deputy CEO Kate Shoesmith.

Stifling growth: despite three consecutive quarterly falls the number of job vacancies in the UK has remained at historically high levels (Credit: Getty/millann)

Unemployment levels 'stifling growth'

By Rebecca Weller

Hospitality sector's efforts to attract new employees are "beginning to pay off" but unemployment levels have continued to stifle the industry's "ability to drive growth” trade body UKHospitality (UKH) has stated.

Beer and food pairing with Ed Hughes of Sharp's

the cask project

How to match complex cask flavours with your food

By Ed Hughes, beer sommelier, Sharp’s Brewery

Sweet, bitter, sour, spicy and fruity: beer arguably has a more complex range of flavours than wine, and beer and food matching is a growing concept in modern cuisine.

Pay uplift: the salary increases represents about £15m, according to Whitbread (image: Getty/Vertigo3d)

Whitbread pumps £15m into staff pay rises

By Nikkie Thatcher

Pub, restaurant and hotel firm Whitbread has laid out a pay support package in a bid to help its UK-based hourly paid employees tackle the cost-of-living crisis.

Huge misconceptions: apprenticeships at all levels could help sector combat staffing crisis (Credit: Getty/10'000 Hours)

Training 'misconceptions' holding sector back

By Rebecca Weller

Misconceptions associated with lifelong learning have continued to hold the sector back amid ongoing staffing crisis but offering apprenticeships at multiple levels could be the key to combatting shortages, new research from HIT Training has revealed....

Tech acquisition: Airship CEO Dan Brookman will stay on board

Tech firm Zonal acquires Airship

By The Morning Advertiser

Tech provider Zonal has announced its purchase of Airship in a deal that includes the Airship CRM and Toggle platforms.

All change: from tomorrow (Saturday 1 October), only polymer bank notes will have legal tender status (image: Flickr: Bank of England)

Last day of paper £20 and £50 notes

By Nikkie Thatcher

Today (Friday 30 September) is the final day paper banknotes will be legal tender before polymer versions replace them.

Reservations kept: more consumers appear to be honouring their bookings at hospitality venues (image: Getty/AlxeyPnferov)

Cost of no-shows slashed by £5bn

By Nikkie Thatcher

The likelihood of no-show diners has almost halved from 11% to 6%, reducing the cost of customers who make reservations and don’t turn up by £5bn a year in revenue, research has found.

St Austell's Georgina Young on the need for expert cask beers

the cask project

Big boys have ‘dumbed down cellarmanship’

By Gary Lloyd

St Austell brewing director Georgina Young believes the art of cellarmanship is being dumbed down and, because cask beer is exclusively made only in the UK, it must be saved.

Heat or eat: Voluntary living wage increases by more than 10% but operators fear rising wage bills could be 'final nail in the coffin' (Credit:Gettygeorgeclerk)

Suggested living wage sees 10.1% increase

By Rebecca Weller

The real living wage has seen its biggest year-on-year increase with more than 390,000 workers across more than 11,000 living wage employers set to receive a pay boost, according to the Living Wage Foundation.

Initiative launched: Drink Fresh Beer aims to end the perception of cask being an ‘old man’s’ drink

Bid to shake off ‘male, pale and stale’ cask image

By Gary Lloyd

A campaign that recognises cask beer is in “steep, sustained decline” and is struggling to shake its “male, pale and stale” image will be launched at the Future of Cask Seminar on Thursday 22 September.

New national service: sector deserves more respect and should be seen as career option (Pictured: Tanya Wicks (left), Clive Price (centre) and MA news editor Nikkie Thatcher (right) at MA Leaders Brighton)

Hospitality should be 'new national service'

By Rebecca Weller

Hospitality should be a “new national service” as the sector offers varied experiences across all skill levels, according to Barons Pub Company managing director Clive Price.

Championing sector: Hospitality Apprenticeships Week 2022 is set to take place from Monday 3 October to Sunday 9 October (image: Getty/Peter Muller)

Sector unites for Hospitality Apprenticeships Week

By Nikkie Thatcher

A number of industry leaders have joined forces to promote this year’s Hospitality Apprenticeships Week and are calling on the wider sector to get behind the initiative.

Unemployment rates lowest level since 1974: figures show importance of hospitality sector as employer (Credit:Getty/skynesher)

ONS figures show 'importance' of sector

By Rebecca Weller

Latest unemployment figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show how “important” the hospitality sector is as an employer, according to trade body UKHospitality (UKH).

Sharp's to release mango beer for Cask Ale Week

the cask project

Sharp’s releases new beer for Cask Ale Week

By Gary Lloyd

Rock-based Sharp’s Brewery has created a limited-edition cask beer called Coaster Alfonso to celebrate Cask Ale Week, which runs between 22 September and 2 October.

Time for change: chefs need improved technology and training to encourage creativity

Chefs need improved technology and training

By Rebecca Weller

Two fifths of catering staff believe a lack of training, technology and resources has caused low morale amongst their teams, a survey of contract catering firms across the UK has revealed.

Spending data: Barclaycard revealed sales in pubs and bars had increased in August 2022, against last year (image: Getty/Solskin)

Pubs saw 8% sales lift in August

By Nikkie Thatcher

Sales at pubs and clubs rose by 8.4% in August, which was put down to the good weather, according to new research.

Alternative career path: Greene King survey reveals one in five A-level graduate would opt for apprenticeship instead

1 in 5 graduates prefer apprenticeships

By Rebecca Weller

Operator and brewer Greene King has announced its plans to take on 5,000 new apprentices by 2025 as one in five Brits (20%) stated they would consider an apprenticeship over A-levels given the chance again, according to research conducted by the pub company.

Official data: wages have risen since January but lag behind the current rate of inflation, according to figures from the Office of National Statistics (image: Getty/KanawatTH)

Staff wages rise by 6.4% since January

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.

Insect repellent: avoiding having bright colours in your garden is one tip to deter wasps from buzzing around your customers (image: Getty/marcophotos)

9 ways pubs can ward off wasps

By Nikkie Thatcher

With summer well under way and the warm weather bringing out all creatures great and small, we’ve put together a few tips on how operators and deter wasps from buzzing around their customers in the garden.

Job vacancies: British Beer & Pub Association boss Emma McClarkin called on the Government to make it easier to recruit and retain staff (image: Getty/skynesher)

Vacancies up more than a third on 2021

By Nikkie Thatcher

Job vacancies in the hospitality sector have risen by 44,000 (34%) compared to last year despite a small fall over the past three months, according to official figures.

In-depth education and training: Bluestone Academy launches hospitality apprenticeship programme (Credit: Getty/SolStock)

Bluestone Academy new training programme

By Rebecca Weller

Training facility, Bluestone Academy, has announced the launch of a new apprenticeship programme set to benefit West Wales’ tourism and hospitality sector and due to start this Autumn at Bluestone National Park Resort, in Pembrokeshire.

Positive step: independent review into supply chain labour shortages to be carried out (Credit: Getty/Dougal Waters)

DEFRA review into labour shortages

By Rebecca Weller

Review into supply chain labour shortages to be carried out by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) brings a "welcome" and “positive step" forward for the sector, trade bodies across the industry have stated.

Support needed: New UKH Scotland chair discusses issues facing sector

‘We need further, immediate support’

By Amelie Maurice-Jones

UKHospitality Scotland new chairman Chris Wayne-Wills opened up on the sector’s struggles with housing infrastructure, skyrocketing costs and a shortage of staff.

Fourth Hospitality Workforce Report: data shows staffing numbers near pre-pandemic levels but sector still struggling (Credit: Getty/Hispanolistic)

Staffing number near pre-pandemic levels

By Rebecca Weller

Hospitality staffing numbers have neared pre-pandemic levels with employee headcount in pubs, bars, hotels, restaurants, and quick service restaurants (QSRs) up 21.7% compared to June 2021, the latest data from Fourth has revealed.

Company growth: Nightcap is looking to expand its portfolio further

Nightcap launches Bar Academy to aid staff retention

By Nikkie Thatcher

Multiple operator Nightcap has announced the launch of its Bar Academy – a dedicated training hub – alongside a new opening of the group’s Tonight Josephine brand in Bristol.

Pub Flex: St Austell Brewery launches new flexible working scheme

St Austell announces new career scheme

By Rebecca Weller

Southwest based brewery and pub company St Austell Brewery has announced the launch of Pub Flex, a new flexible and inclusive career scheme, acknowledging the way people work has changed post-pandemic in a bid to attract more staff.

Urgent review needed: Sacha Lord (pictured) has called for BREXIT visa restrictions to be eased to aid sector's workforce crisis

Sacha Lord calls for ease of Brexit restrictions

By Rebecca Weller

Night-time economy adviser for Greater Manchester Sacha Lord has called on the Government to ease Brexit visa rules to stem the jobs crisis hitting the hospitality sector.

Recruitment crisis: official figures from the Office of National Statistics show the number of job vacancies in the hospitality sector equates to more than 10% of all empty job roles (image: Getty/Charday Penn_

Sector job vacancies rise again

By Nikkie Thatcher

Empty job roles in the hospitality trade have increased again, highlighting the ongoing staff shortages, according to official figures.

Discovery Forum 2022: why pubs make great venues for corporate meetings (Credit: Getty/Extreme Media)

Corporate meetings 'big opportunity' for pubs

By Rebecca Weller

Pubs offer a versatile space to hold corporate meetings but the industry needs to do more to utilise what pubs already offer to capitalise on this market, according to leaders across the industry.

Supportive working environment: Night Owl implements menopause policy to tackle stigma

Night Owl encourages sector to tackle menopause stigma

By Rebecca Weller

Independent Birmingham and London-based nightclub the Night Owl has urged businesses across the UK to join its pledge in tackling stigma and prejudice in the workplace with regards to the menopause.

Hat-trick: Beds & Bars announces third Investors In People Platinum award (Credit: Getty/sturti)

Beds & Bars announces third Investors In People platinum award

By Rebecca Weller

Multi-site operator Beds & Bars has announced it has attained its third platinum award from Investors In People, as the company received a 100% positive response rate from its team members, having all answered yes when asked ‘would you recommend Beds...

Staffing issues: Sacha Lord also called on operators to ensure they were paying employees the right rates to help boost retention

Sacha Lord repeats staffing concerns

By Nikkie Thatcher

Night-time economy adviser for Greater Manchester and operator Sacha Lord has reiterated worries about the sector’s staffing shortages and called on operators to commit to paying teams the living wage.

Critical level: staff shortages impacting industry and economic recovery (Credit: Getty/South_agency)

Staff shortages damaging economic recovery

By Rebecca Weller

Staff shortages within the hospitality sector have caused almost half (45%) of operators to cut trading hours or capacity in order to cope, costing the industry £21bn in lost revenue, a joint survey by UKHospitality (UKH), the British Institute of Innkeeping...

Ainsworth and Banks (l-r): the key is to experience work life at different venues

Gastropub celebs launch employee exchange programme

By James McAllister

Gastropub chefs Paul Ainsworth and Tommy Banks have launched an employee exchange programme, enabling teams to swap companies for a week and experience the workings of another business.

Spotlight

The Morning Advertiser's Lock In Podcast episode 77 S4 Ep. 14: Stars in bars! (Feat. James May, Candice Brown and more) Competition kicked off: entry for the 2024 Great British Pub Awards is now open Hunt is under way for the Great British Pub of the Year The Morning Advertiser's Lock In podcast shortlisted for award Lock In podcast shortlisted for top award

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