Two of the most recognised figures in Manchester hospitality have explained their reasons for optimism, as national employment figures paint a troubling picture for the service industry.
Sacha Lord and Thom Hetherington have both been encouraged by rumours from Westminster safeguarding hospitality pay and benefits, while championing the government’s soon-to-end Kickstart scheme as a means of identifying and securing much-needed new talent for the sector.
Last week, the ONS reported 134,000 vacancies in the UK hospitality sector between June and August – the second highest figure of any sector nationwide (behind Human Health & Social Work). Only last month, the Manchester Evening News reported that an estimated 3,000 hospitality roles were unfilled across the city’s hotels, bars and restaurants.
Industry bodies report that as many as one in five workers have left the hospitality sector during the pandemic, while Brexit has also been blamed for exacerbating employment challenges. Concerns over long working hours, job security and pay have been suggested as reasons why many furloughed staff have not yet returned to fill hospitality roles.
Sacha Lord, Greater Manchester’s Night Time Economy Advisor, has just overseen the successful return of Manchester’s Parklife Festival and Warehouse Project over consecutive weekends, and has frequently called for better payment terms for hospitality staff.
Sacha said: “The return of large-scale public events across the city is long overdue and has been fantastic for the local community, businesses and the local economy. We’re all hoping for an uninterrupted festive period, providing much-needed revenue for all the city’s struggling operators.
“Hospitality is a fantastic career path for young people, with great opportunities for progression and pay for anyone willing to apply themselves. Service staff deserve every single penny they earn, which is why I’m delighted to hear the government will be banning restaurants from keeping tips in future.
“This feels like a pivotal moment for the local hospitality sector – with a winter period of huge opportunity ahead of us, and some attractive remuneration on offer to new starters. I’ll keep on pushing the government to do the right thing by Manchester’s hospitality operators and staff.”
Thom Hetherington, CEO of Holden Media and founder of Northern Restaurant and Bar (NRB), believes the national Kickstart scheme shows a step in the right direction from the government and believes the scheme is well-suited to addressing the hospitality sector’s employment challenges.
The Kickstart scheme launched in 2020 to support young people through a challenging economic period, with government funding the wages and all employer’s costs (e.g. NI, ER, holiday pay) for 16-24 year-olds placed into new roles, capped at for 25 hours per week over a 6-month period.
The Kickstart scheme, which is due to end soon, also offers participating employers grant funding to support with any aspect of onboarding new employees.
Thom said: “Throughout an unbelievably challenging period for the hospitality sector, when vital funding and support hasn’t often been available, the government’s soon-to-end Kickstart scheme offers real hope to businesses struggling with staffing challenges in the medium term.
“With such a crucial festive period ahead of us this year, the opportunity to access fresh new talent at no cost is compelling, to help increase capacity within existing teams. Now is the time to get people onboarded and upskilled before the winter rush begins in earnest.
“With time running out to enrol new Kickstart candidates, I’d urge all operators to access this new pool of free talent before it’s too late. I hope the government will consider extending this valuable scheme to help operators bolster their teams, helping them plan more effectively for the future.”
To help employers manage the administrative burden of liaising with the Department of Work & Pensions – who are co-ordinating the scheme – and local job centres who help identify new recruits, several specialist ‘Kickstart Gateway’ organisations have been established.
One such Gateway organisation is Think Employment, who have already supported hundreds of employers to take advantage of the Kickstart scheme. Managing Director Richard Hallam and his team works closely with employers at each step of the process; writing funding bids, appointing young people, and providing mentorship throughout the six-month placement.
Richard said: “It feels like Kickstart is still one of the ‘best kept secrets’ in the hospitality industry, with precious few operators taking advantage of the scheme. Whether you’re looking for a glass collector or a future team supervisor, this opportunity to ‘try before you buy’ with staff is invaluable.
“Having refined and streamlined our onboarding processes, Think Employment can now identify and fully prepare the right Kickstart candidates for hospitality operators within about six to eight weeks. That’s still ample time to reinforce and bolster service teams ahead of the expected winter rush.
“Any hospitality operators hoping to benefit from a new pool of free and untapped talent should seek support from a proven gateway organisation now – while registrations are still being accepted for this valuable funding scheme, and before the challenging festive period is upon us.”
Anyone keen to find out more about the government’s Kickstart scheme can contact Think Employment’s team of coordinators until 30th September on 01472 493004, or by visiting: https://www.thinkemployment.com/kickstart-scheme-for-employers/
