UK pubs saw a boost in revenue over the bank holiday with 57 million pints sold over the long weekend, according to the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA).
However, the trade body says that 5 million more, worth £22m, could have been sold if the industry was not battling staff shortages.
It estimates that revenue was down 8% as a result of staffing issues holding back many pubs from fulfilling their full potential.
It comes after a recent cross-industry survey conducted by the BBPA, British Institute of Innkeeping, Hospitality Ulster and UKHospitality, which showed 61% of hospitality businesses are currently experiencing staff shortages.
Data also revealed that 42% reducing opening hours on weekends due to a lack of team members.
Recent ONS figures show that the UK’s average vacancy rate is at 3.2%, with hospitality higher at 5.1%.
Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the BBPA, said, “Our pubs support economies across the country and during the summer season they thrive on welcoming people from near and far, but they are being held back by an ongoing staffing crisis.
“Businesses are taking initiatives to overcome these challenges through altering menus and shortening hours, but ultimately this means they are not trading to full capacity and in turn that means lower sales and less revenue generated for the Treasury.
“We urgently need the Government to implement solutions to solve the staffing crisis by making changes to the youth mobility scheme and widening the Shortage Occupation List, because brilliant pubs thrive on brilliant people, and we need more of them to reach our full economic potential.”
