Responding to news of more train strikes throughout December, Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the British Beer and Pub Association said:
“This is devastating news for pubs. Businesses across the country will be relying on a busy Christmas period to pull them through what is set to be an incredibly difficult winter in the months that follow, pubs have been hoping to make the most of Christmas party bookings and festive gatherings for the first time in three years.
“News of these rail strikes in the weeks leading up to Christmas will hit pubs in town and city centres hard. The week of the strikes is usually the busiest in the year for our industry, but instead of supporting pubs, customers will be cancelling bookings and staying home, whilst staffing shortages will be exacerbated by a lack of transport options for employees. Our industry desperately needs this Christmas boost, we urgently need a resolution to reinstate train services and ensure that customers and staff can travel easily and confidently, or the impact on trade will be catastrophic.”
ENDS
For more information or to arrange an interview contact Jessie Powell at jpowell@beerandpub.com / 020 7627 9199
Notes to editors:
About the British Beer & Pub Association
The BBPA represents UK companies which between them brew over 90% of the beer sold in the UK and own 20,000 pubs.
Our members include international companies, national and local brewers and pub businesses operating managed and tenanted pubs in cities, towns and villages across the country.
These businesses are at the heart of communities and local economies and include family businesses who have been brewing beer and running pubs for hundreds of years alongside emerging brewers and pub operators.
- The UK’s beer and pub industry supports close to 940,000 jobs
- The industry adds £26.2billion to the UK’s economy each year
Press release from the BBPA.
For more information or to arrange an interview contact Jessie Powell at jpowell@beerandpub.com / 020 7627 9199