Number of hospitality job vacancies hits record high

The number of job vacancies in the UK accommodation and foodservice sector has hit a record high following the easing of lockdown restrictions, according to new figures.

Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed there were 117,000 empty hospitality roles between May and July this year, the highest number since records began in 2001.

This represents a 73,000 rise in vacancies from the previous quarter, with many businesses looking to recruit as lockdown restrictions eased.

The number of empty job roles has risen over by over 100,000 compared to the same period last year, when there were just 16,000 hospitality vacancies between May and July 2020.

Overall, the ONS estimated there were 953,000 job vacancies across all areas of the economy between May and July this year, a 43% increase on the previous quarter. This is equivalent to around 3.2 vacancies for every 100 employee jobs, a record high.

The hospitality industry has struggled with staff shortages since reopening, forcing some businesses to reduce opening hours and turn down bookings.

This week the Scottish Hospitality Group urged the government to introduce a migrant visa scheme to fill vacancies it warned were putting the brakes on the sector's recovery.

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