All hospitality businesses currently recruiting, says poll

One hundred percent of hospitality businesses are currently looking to fill vacancies, according to new research from UKHospitality and pub trade bodies the British Beer & Pub Association and the British Institute of Innkeeping.

Of the 350 businesses surveyed, representing tens of thousands of venues, the majority (84%) of roles being recruited for were front-of-house, 67% were for non-head chefs, and 36% kitchen porters.

A third of operators are also currently experiencing managerial vacancies.

Overall vacancy levels are running at around 10% across the sector – the equivalent of a 200,000-worker shortage, they said.

Highlighting the continuing challenges for hospitality, despite the reopening of the sector, the research found that almost all businesses (94%) were also experiencing problems with their supply chain, with 66% experiencing a reduction in product lines, 63% seeing deliveries delayed and 60% contending with missing products on their orders.

In a joint statement, the trade bodies said: “The easing of all legal restrictions should mark a progression into the recovery phase for our sector, which has been hardest hit during the pandemic and only now permitted to trade unrestricted and make progress toward rebuilding and paying off accrued debts.

“But businesses are faced with a range of pressing challenges meaning the road to recovery will be bumpy for many months to come.

“For hospitality to begin a sustainable recovery, government must continue working closely with us in order to put in place the right trading environment, including measures such as further business rates relief into next year and the extension of the lower rate of VAT.”