A fifth of night time venues reduce opening hours amid staff shortages
The majority of night time venues are facing security staff shortages with 20 per cent planning to close or reduce opening hours as a result.
Data from the Night Time Industries Association revealed that a lack of resources is creating a “desperate situation” for businesses, some of which are not allowed to be open unless a quota of security guards is filled.
More than 50 per cent of night time venues are affected by a lack of security staff who have played a crucial role in ensuring the safety of customers during the pandemic by checking test results, temperatures or vaccination status on arrival.
Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, which represents around 100 companies, said that a lack of resource is putting pressure on venues to loosen hiring processes. He said: “You have a black market of people paying cash which creates a problem for accredited businesses.”
The news comes as multiple UK industries face shortages as a result of the pingdemic and Brexit, which has prompted around 93,000 EU workers in the hospitality industry to leave the country this year.
Consumer facing venues have been left feeling gloomy as a result of the ongoing shortages with optimism about the business situation falling to -17 per cent in August according to the CBI.
Read more: Staff shortages leave consumer facing businesses pessimistic about recovery