National Hospitality Day to celebrate the sector this September
Hospitality Action is partnering with the industry's main trade associations, professional bodies and charities to launch a National Hospitality Day to celebrate the sector on 18 September.
The campaign will call on the nation to visit their favourite venue on the day, while operators and suppliers are being invited to put on activities, offers and events to celebrate.
The common aim is for participating businesses to showcase the industry at its best and give the nation a chance to show its appreciation by venturing out and re-engaging with the places they love following the industry's toughest year yet.
Participating businesses are asked to build a fundraising element into their activities to support UK hospitality's four main charities: the Drinks Trust, Hospitality Action, the Licensed Trade Charity and the Springboard Charity, to support those hit by the pandemic with financial assistance, mental health support and career development.
Participating organisations include UKHospitality, the Institute of Hospitality, the British Beer & Pub Association and the British Institute of Innkeeping.
Mark Lewis, chief executive of Hospitality Action, which conceived the concept, said: "The hospitality industry has been the hardest hit by the pandemic, with thousands of businesses and livelihoods lost. Even as the economy slowly unlocks, the hospitality sector is still unable to fully reopen with restrictions keeping businesses closed or struggling to turn a profit.
"The hospitality industry provides community hubs, employment and a huge contribution to the public purse. Our lives will be poorer without them. On one amazing day, we're going to spark the mother of all parties – and all to help the businesses that have been thrown to their knees by Covid-19, and the people who work in them."
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