#BeKindtoHospitality campaign goes national

A group of hospitality businesses led by the curator of the Radisson Red Glasgow hotel is encouraging the public to be considerate of sector workers and help the industry survive.

The #BeKindtoHospitality campaign was started by Graham Chalmers (pictured) in a bid to encourage members of the public to be kind, patient and understand that staff are doing their best while following strict rules. The aim is to improve the experience of hospitality workers already working under very stressful conditions.

There is widespread support for the campaign across the sector and this week the campaign spreads across the UK. Those putting their names to the cause have included Greater Manchester's night-time economy adviser Sacha Lord and UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls, as well as Glasgow institutions Cail Bruich and the Gannet.

Chalmers said: "At Radisson Red Glasgow we are lucky to have incredibly supportive owners, but not all hospitality businesses are so fortunate or they are simply not in a position to weather the long, long storms – some have suffered massive cuts while others are struggling to keep operating at all… or have had to close their doors permanently.

"I fear for the future of many of these businesses and wonder exactly what will be left of the wider hospitality industry across the UK."

Nicholls said: "The pandemic has had a devastating effect on the hospitality sector where we've lost 7,000 businesses and 650,000 staff members. For those that work within the industry this has had a significant impact – mentally, financially and physically and, despite indoor reopening, we are not out of the woods yet.

"The #BeKindToHospitality campaign serves as a wonderful reminder that our team members are just like any other person navigating this pandemic. Our first priority will always be to keep staff and customers safe, so please be kind to hard-working staff; they are in short supply at the moment and many businesses will be operating at reduced capacities as they reopen. Put yourself in their shoes and show your support through kindness."

Lord added: "This campaign appealed instantly because too many people are forgetting about the people behind the masks when they're out.

"We are all delighted hospitality is reopening properly, but that doesn't mean the anxiety and stress for those working in the industry has gone – if anything, it is worse in some cases as staff try to adjust to working in new ways, dealing with no-shows and people arguing about rules and just with their own concerns about being out in public. So please do what you can to help. The message is be kind to everyone, including hospitality – that's all."