UKHospitality has warned of the impact of the dramatic increase in the energy price cap that customers are facing, announced today by OFGEM, which could mean that they stop visiting hospitality venues altogether to save money.
UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said today, “While the energy price cap doesn’t apply to businesses, this steep rise for already cash-strapped consumers means they’re likely to cut back on visiting hospitality venues or, worse still, stop going out altogether. Higher energy prices also affect our sector’s employees, who now face even higher energy bills.
“Without an urgent and comprehensive government support package that helps both households and businesses, many hospitality venues are contemplating reduced trading, resulting in lower wages or lost jobs for staff who need their jobs more than ever if they’re to heat their homes.”
This follows the open letter that 5 trade bodies sent to the UK Government earlier this month with The British Beer and Pub Association, UK Hospitality, Night-Time Industries Association, Music Venue Trust and The British Institute of Innkeeping calling for urgent action on energy prices. The joint letter highlights “rocketing energy prices (becoming) a matter of existential emergency.”
With hospitality operators facing average annual bill increases in the region of at least 300%, businesses and jobs in the sector are at grave risk, and the letter sets out the urgent need for the Government and the Conservative leadership contenders to outline a comprehensive support package for the sector.
