Guy Opperman MP meets trade body UKHospitality and Punch Pubs & Co to discuss tackling labour shortages
October 30, 2023
The Blue Bell in Corbridge welcomed representatives from industry body UKHospitality, Punch Pubs & Co, and local MP, Guy Opperman.
Hosted by Publican Andrew Kearney, the group met to discuss new ways to support local pubs and the wider hospitality industry by tackling labour and skills shortages.
The discussion centred around getting more people into work through training schemes and how apprenticeships can be made more accessible to employers and employees. A key aim for all parties around the table is to support local businesses in being able to pool apprenticeship funding in order to offer more opportunities to take on apprentices. Another of the key focuses of the discussion was the Destination Hospitality pilot, which launched in September.
It has been a pleasure to welcome representatives from UKHospitality and Punch Pubs & Co to my local constituency of Hexham. Finding new ways to successfully tackle the ongoing labour and skills shortages that pubs and the wider hospitality community are facing is something I am passionate about, and it’s great to have an in-depth discussion on the matter with
operators and business leaders to find new solutions.Guy Opperman MPHexham
Kate Nicholls, CEO, UKHospitality
Today’s discussions have been successful. We’re always striving to find new and innovative ways to help hospitality businesses thrive, create jobs and develop skills within the local communities, of which they are such an important part.
The industry offers a fantastic range of career development options and is not only well placed to kickstart someone’s career, but can help bring people of all ages back into the workforce too. We will continue to work with Government and businesses to make hospitality’s offering top of class across the economy.
Kate Nicholls OBEUKHospitality CEO
At Punch Pubs & Co, we are proud that our pubs play a vital role at the heart of their communities in not only bringing people together, but by also offering a diverse, unique range of career opportunities.
Apprentices play an integral part in ensuring hospitality is recognised as a long-term career of choice, but there remain barriers to employing more so we are committed to working with Government to help improve and enhance the offer.
Laura Cavendish HR Director - Punch Pubs