POLL: How do you feel about trade in the coming months?

They have called for the transport secretary, RMT, ASLEF and Rail Delivery Group to ‘redouble efforts’ to resolve the ongoing dispute.

The letter, signed by 37 leading hospitality businesses and spearheaded by UKHospitality, urged both rail unions to make a public commitment to not strike during the critical festive period, to avoid significant economic harm to the sector.

In the open letter, the group said: “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.

Vital time

“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.”

Strike action

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

Beds & Bars, which operates pubs, tourist accommodation and entertainment venues, said its sales were down 70%, on average, on strike days. The company’s chief executive Keith Knowles said its staff were significantly affected in being unable to get to work.

Phil Thorley runs Thorley Taverns, with almost 20 pubs in Kent, and said strikes had ‘decimated’ the number of visitors from London to the Kent coast. He said it had ‘deeply affected’ trade.