Chloe Claxton
“I’ve worked in hospitality since I was 15, and this is probably the quietest January I’ve worked,” says 23-year-old Willow Gwyn-Williams, a pub manager in Chelmsford.
She thinks the cost of living crisis is to blame for bookings being down where she works at the William Boosey in Hatfield Peverel.
“People just don’t have the money to go out and do anything,” she says.
Videos of eerily empty bars and restaurants are trending on TikTok, with staff posting videos under the hashtag January in Hospitality.
Some posts have tens of thousands of likes, showing staff finding creative ways to stay busy, including perfecting latte art or making pint glasses sparkling clean.
Willow says the quieter period means fewer shifts, particularly for part-time employees “as we simply do not have the numbers to justify having extra people come into work.”
“The mood in January is a bit miserable,” she says.
While a January lull in trade is normal, there are fears that restaurants and bars may continue to be quieter than usual all year.
‘Quietest January’
The sector is warning that the rise in employer National Insurance contributions and minimum wage, announced in the Budget and due to start in April, will mean it remains tough beyond January.
Kate Nicholls, the chief executive of trade body UK Hospitality, says the government needs “an urgent rethink” of the changes – or the public will face price increases of around 6-8%.
She says 80% of businesses in the sector are expected to cut staffing levels and some may be forced to close.
Louise Maclean is chief executive of Signature Group which owns over 20 bars, restaurants and night clubs across Scotland, employing around 700 staff.
“Everywhere is having to rein it back in,” she told the BBC’s Today programme. “We are so worried about what’s happening on 1 April.
“We have to pass on the price rises to the consumer and ensure sales don’t drop… it is a big, big gamble. But that’s what we are looking at.
“The whole situation in 2025 is a concern and the phrase we are using is ‘survive ’25’.”