Bath’s MP Wera Hobhouse has said that a lack of post-pandemic support for hospitality businesses is “dragging the sector through the mud”.
Earlier this month, workers in the hospitality industry gathered in Parliament Square in London for the third time to protest the government’s lack of support.
Between January 2020 and 2021, there was a 10% fall in the total number of hospitality businesses in the UK, and many continue to be at risk of collapse.
From January to March 2020 to October to December 2021, the number of workers in the sector fell by 90,000 or 3.6%.
This compared to a 1.3% decline in jobs across all industries.
In Bath, it is estimated that 6,000 people are employed in the hospitality sector across around 525 businesses.
Between 2010 and 2020, the number of pubs dropped by 10% across the community.
Hospodemo, the campaign group organising the event, gathered in Parliament Square to urge the government to take appropriate action to support the sector.
MP Wera Hobhouse attended the event to support a local Bath pub owner who was calling for Government action.
The campaign group are calling for a business rates holiday or reduction and a visa scheme to allow overseas workers to work in hospitality amid other demands.
Ms Hobhouse commented: “The pandemic has put the hospitality workforce in crisis.
“The colossal amount of job vacancies demand there be an overseas hospitality worker visa scheme now to protect the industry from collapse.
“Brexit and a lack of pandemic support is dragging the sector through the mud. The Government must reach out before the hospitality industry falls even further.”
