Rail strikes amount to another £400m loss
Pubs, bars and restaurants stand to lose almost £400m in lost sales due to the latest disruption.
Industrial action across the rail network from Friday 5 April to Monday 8 April is estimated to cost the hospitality sector £387m.
According to trade body UKHospitality, strikes in 2024 have cost businesses close to £750m in lost business, and the total impact since the start of the dispute in 2022 has now totalled £5bn.
Train driver union ASLEF triggered the strikes, as it says it is still waiting for the government to come to the table for meaningful talks to negotiate a new pay deal.
"The cumulative cost of rail strikes continues to pile up for hospitality businesses, with potential lost sales of up to £387m over the next four days alone," says Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality. "This disruption will be particularly damaging. Families looking to enjoy the Easter holidays will now find plans disrupted and hospitality businesses trying to generate much-needed sales will see customer numbers dwindle.
"As April marks the cost of wages and business rates increasing annually by £3.4bn for hospitality, businesses were looking to a successful Easter to help cover those new costs. That now looks like an increasingly difficult prospect."
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