Pubs and restaurants are in ‘intensive care’ as more than 600,000 jobs lost

The hospitality sector has been brutally hit hard this year, the industry trade body told MPs on Tuesday, as 660,000 of jobs have been lost.

The hospitality sector was the third largest employer in the UK by the end of 2019, UK Hospitality chief, Kate Nicholls said.

Employment in the sector is down by 20% and revenue is down by 40% compared to 2019. Between Halloween and New Years Eve businesses should be enjoying a “golden time” of the year as more than a third of annual revenue is normally earned in this period.

Nicholls warned that the hospitality sector is in “intensive care” and has called on the government to allow pubs, bars and restaurants to reopen with few restrictions for December.