Nicholls: ‘200,000 jobs could be lost this weekend’

By Lisa Riley

Published: 16 October, 2020

Kate Nicholls, CEO of UK Hospitality (UKH), has warned that 200,000 hospitality jobs could be lost this weekend alone in central London as new Tier 2 restrictions are implemented.

“Level two is maximum restrictions and a maximum squeeze on revenue and no support. If you go into level three, you are getting support if you're close so at least we would have something to pay the teams. At least we would have a small amount of grant to cover some of the overheads and costs,” Nicholls said on BBC Breakfast this morning.

So for businesses in this part of the capital, it would “probably be better to be paid to be closed”, she added.

“The pain of Tier 2 is that you have no government support, and that's what we need the government to urgently address, otherwise you are going to have about 200,000 people in central London losing their jobs this weekend,” she said.

Following the announcement of the new support measures by the government on 9 October, UKH welcomed the support for closed hospitality businesses but warned that additional extensive financial support was crucial for businesses trading under restrictions.

London moves into Tier 2 from tomorrow (Saturday 17 October).

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