Rail strikes to cause £1.5bn loss for hospitality

Analysis by trade body UKHospitality (UKH) shows that the rail strikes planned for December are set to cost the sector £1.5bn, similar to the level of disruption caused by the Covid-19 Omicron variant last year.

Hospitality businesses have already seen large-scale cancellations which are unlikely to be rebooked. Left unaddressed, the strikes will have a devastating impact on the sector and its workforce at the most critical trading period of the year. 

UKH chief executive Kate Nicholls has written to transport secretary Mark Harper outlining the scale of the damage facing the sector. Nicholls urged the minister to bring all negotiating parties to the table to work out a settlement, with the aim of averting the strikes and their consequent damage to businesses and workers. 

"The impact of rail strikes already this year has been devastating and wide-reaching, but this will pale in comparison to what we will see as a result of the upcoming strikes in December," says Nicholls. 

"This disruption will devastate hospitality businesses during its busiest period of the year and will once again force the public to cancel and rearrange plans, just as they were preparing for an uninterrupted Christmas. Businesses have already seen mass cancellations which won't be rescheduled, costing the sector billions in lost sales. 

"The Christmas period is not just good for businesses, it's the most lucrative time for workers where they can benefit from additional overtime and higher levels of tips due to excess demand. 

"These strikes damage all parts of society and it's now time that the government proactively brings all partners to the table to deliver a solution that protects the nation's workers and hospitality customers this Christmas."

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