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Hospitality sector vacancies have fallen
sharply since the introduction of the UK’s 10pm curfew, new
analysis by the world’s largest job site, Indeed,
reveals
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Recruitment has slumped by nearly two-thirds
since the end of August’s ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ scheme, even as
vacancies in other sectors have recovered
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Scotland’s new restrictions on pubs and
restaurants - which come into force on Friday evening - now
threaten to push hospitality sector hiring further into
reverse
Vacancies
in the hospitality and food service industries have been in
freefall since a 10pm curfew was imposed on the UK’s pubs and
restaurants, with Scotland’s new restrictions set to inflict
further pain on jobseekers, according to new data released by the
world’s largest job site, Indeed.
Indeed’s
analysis reveals that new job postings in the hospitality and
tourism sector have fallen by 61%
since the end of August and are down
9% since the 10pm curfew came into effect
on September
241.
A
similar analysis shows that hiring in the food preparation and
service sector has fallen by a quarter
(26%) since the end of August, with
an 11% decline since the 10pm
curfew.
The
data also shows how the two sectors have endured several
reversals of fortune in 2020. The number of vacancies plunged
harder and faster than those in other industries at the start of
lockdown, before recovering strongly after pubs were allowed to
reopen at the start of July.
Hiring
accelerated during August as the Government’s ‘Eat Out to Help
Out’ scheme set tills ringing in pubs and restaurants. Between
July’s ‘Super Saturday’, when venues were allowed to re-open, and
the end of August, the number of new vacancies in hospitality and
tourism jumped by 159%, while the
increase in food preparation and service was
122%.
By
contrast, the number of vacancies in other sectors is increasing
and continues to inch closer to pre-lockdown
levels.
Graph: Hiring in the food and hospitality sectors since
February1
On
Wednesday, First Minister announced new measures for Scotland, including pub
closures for the centre of the country, including Glasgow and
Edinburgh, from today (Friday). Pubs and restaurants will not be
allowed to serve alcohol indoors for 16 days, although they will
be allowed to serve food and non-alcoholic drinks inside from 6am
to 6pm. They can continue to serve alcohol outdoors up to the
current curfew of
10pm2.
The
UK Parliament is expected to vote next week on whether to keep
England’s 10pm curfew in place.
Jack Kennedy, UK Economist at global job site Indeed,
comments:
“This
summer’s encouraging signs of recovery in the food, drink and
hospitality sectors slipped into reverse after the Government’s
‘Eat Out to Help Out’ scheme finished at the end of August. Since
the imposition of a nationwide 10pm curfew a fortnight ago, the
number of new vacancies has tipped into
freefall.
“The
industry is now braced for even more pain, with Scotland ordering
the temporary closure of some pubs and banning the serving of
alcohol indoors at those that can remain
open.
“At
their lowest point during lockdown, new job postings in these
sectors were down 95% compared to their 2019 level. Progress has
been made since then, but the gradual ratcheting up of
restrictions - even though they still fall short of a second
lockdown - has curtailed employers’ hiring
intentions.
“Hiring
levels continue to improve across the wider economy, but for
Britain’s hardest-hit sectors it feels like a case of one step
forward and two steps back.”
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ENDS -
Notes to Editors
1 Indeed
analysed job postings on its platform between February 1 and
October 2 to chart the % change in new postings in 2020 compared
to 2019.
2 First
Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s speech outlining new measures for
Scotland.
