‘No Christmas strikes’ – hospitality leaders urge unions

By James Bayley

Published: 02 October, 2023

Leading hospitality businesses have called for the festive season to be protected from strike action amidst the ongoing rail dispute.

Operators including Rick Stein, Greene King, Fuller’s, and Mitchells & Butlers have signed an open letter, alongside UKHospitality, to the transport secretary, RMT, ASLEF and Rail Delivery Group, urging them to ‘redouble efforts’ to find a solution.

It comes as fresh rail strikes, beginning today (2 October), are set to cost the sector up to £400 million, on top of the £3.5 billion already lost over the last 16 months.

Read more: Britain loses 30% of nightclubs since Covid

The letter, signed by 37 leading hospitality businesses, urged rail unions to make a public commitment to not strike during the critical festive period.

In the open letter, the group states: “The significance of the festive season to our sector cannot be overstated. It represents a crucial time when we traditionally see a substantial portion of our annual revenue generated, crucial to enabling venues to operate during the quiet months at the start of the year.

“The festive season is a crucial period for our workforce, missed shifts and subsequent lost earnings – including lost income from tips – would be most acutely felt around Christmas.

“We are urging the rail unions to make a public commitment to not strike during the critical festive period. Striking would cause significant harm to hospitality businesses, undermine workers’ ability to earn and disrupt the plans of hard-working families across the country.”

The signatories to the open letter are:

All Our Bars Limited

BALPPA

Beds and Bars

Beer and Buns Limited

Big Table Group

Cigalon

Club Gascon

D&D London

Drake & Morgan Ltd

ETM Group Ltd

Fuller, Smith and Turner