'Staggering' loss of hospitality sector jobs

MORE than half of all job losses in the UK since last October's Budget have occurred in the hospitality sector, which is grappling with escalating costs, new data reveals.

- HANNAH BAKER & AMBER MURRAY

Out of the 164,641 job losses in the UK since the Budget last October, nearly 89,000 have been in the hospitality industry.

The extent of job losses is three times worse than the Office for Budget Responsibility's estimate, which predicted 50,000 job losses as a direct result of changes to employer national insurance contributions.

Kate Nicholls, chair of UKHospitality, described the number of job losses as “staggering”

“The sheer scale of costs being placed upon hospitality has forced businesses to make excruciatingly tough decisions to cut jobs with part-time and flexible roles often those most at risk,” she declared, as reported by City AM.