With the hospitality sector set for a tough winter as coronavirus restrictions continue, foodservice wholesaler Bidfood and Hospitality Action have announced they will be releasing a charity single to raise funds for the industry.
Available from 7 December the single, which is a cover of Miley Cyrus – The Climb, aims to shine a light on the importance and resilience of the industry in these testing times.
Tim Adams, Director of Corporate Sales and Marketing at Bidfood said: “We are delighted to be working with Hospitality Action to raise money and awareness for our industry during such challenging times. This has been an incredibly difficult year and we wanted to launch a campaign that would spread some light-heartedness and positivity whilst doing our best to support those who need it most.”
Mark Lewis, CEO at Hospitality Action added: “With the festive trading period in jeopardy many hospitality businesses will be making the tough decision to reduce their headcount or even to close for good. Yet hospitality people are known for their resilience and are a multitalented bunch, as demonstrated by the amazing vocals on this single. By purchasing a copy you’ll be helping hospitality families put food on the table and keep a roof over their head this Christmas.”
Meanwhile, Campari UK is calling on businesses that may no longer be putting money behind the bar this Christmas to instead put it behind the bar staff. This follows new research which suggests that the pandemic will cost the hospitality industry an estimated £717m over the festive season.
The liqueur brand is suggesting businesses donate 5% from their unused Christmas party budgets to a hospitality worker relief fund, Shaken Not Broken. Already, companies including Wavemaker UK, The Craft Gin Club, Spinach Branding, Revolution Bars Group, HT Drinks and entrepreneur, investor and TV Dragon Sarah Willingham have donated to the cause.
The research commissioned for the campaign found a 73% drop in the proportion of businesses planning to hold parties in hospitality venues, from seven in ten in 2019 (71%) to just two in ten this year (19%).
Two-fifths of British businesses (38%) have completely cancelled or postponed any celebration this year, with 18% downgrading to a virtual event and a further 8% still yet to decide. With companies ordinarily spending an average of £49.80 per employee on end-of-year celebrations, the ultimate impact on bar staff income could be “disastrous”.
Recent data from pub and restaurant trade bodies has warned of 750,000 fewer people in jobs in the sector by February 2021 as 72% of employers expect to operate at a loss and be forced out of business.
Such has been the impact of Covid-19 on frontline bar workers’ livelihoods – and lives – throughout the pandemic that Shaken Not Broken was established in April 2020 to offer much-needed help. Founded with an initial £100,000 donation from Campari UK, which has also given on-going support as the crisis has continued, the fund is administered by hospitality charity The Drinks Trust, with donations facilitated by TiPJAR.
Brad Madigan, Managing Director of Campari UK, said: “The unavoidable cancellation of a large number of work Christmas celebrations will place even more financial pressure on the hospitality industry, already struggling under the weight of reduced footfall, curfews and widespread lockdowns. Many hospitality venues have cut staff numbers, reduced staff hours considerably or, even worse, not re-opened at all since March – placing hundreds of thousands of staff on furlough or directly into unemployment.
“That’s why we’re calling on the UK business community to donate a small part of what they’ve saved from cancelling this year’s Christmas celebration events to the Shaken Not Broken Fund. We know times are extremely challenging for many, but any donation, however large or small, will make a genuine difference to people’s lives. It really is time to support those in the hospitality industry who would normally be serving us at this time of year.”
