Restaurants axe 10,000 jobs in 2018
Retailers face a year of woe Struggling sector laid off 28 workers a day
MORE than 160,000 shop workers face the axe amid a worsening high street crisis.
Over 22,000 shops will close in 2019 – up nearly 20% from this year – with job losses set to rise by a fifth, the Centre for Retail Research predicts.
HMV last week became the first victim of what could be brutal Christmas trading.
More than 2,000 jobs are at risk after the music chain plunged into administration.
Next announces its festive store sales on Thursday, with analysts predicting a 12.7% fall.
And struggling Debenhams, Mothercare and Card Factory are set to publish their figures.
CRR’s Prof Joshua Bamfield said: “We expect major retailers to hit the buffers.” A PAIR of chickens who refuse to stay in their coop roam around in hi-vis jackets to keep them safe.
Davina and Deidre’s owner David Williams had the reflective coats made fearing they may get run over in Milton Keynes, Beds.
He said of the hens’ daily outings: “It must be doing them good – their eggs are amazing.” Davina and Deirdre out and about STRUGGLING restaurants axed 28 workers a day this year during waves of closures, research reveals.
Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Carluccio’s, Prezzo, Byron, Chimichanga, and Jamie’s Italian were among the big name chains to close outlets in 2018 amid fierce competition and soaring costs.
The Centre for Retail Research found
10,413 job were lost across the restaurant sector this year.
Professor Joshua Bamfield, the centre’s head, said every one was a “personal tragedy” for the people involved. He predicted that a further 10,950 jobs will be lost in 2019, with independent restaurants being hit hardest.
Prof Bamfield said: “Many of the large chains have already made cuts and in 2019 we expect the smaller and independent restaurants to bear the weight of the losses.”
Other figures from industry experts Altus Group revealed restaurant business rates in England and Wales have jumped by nearly a quarter in the past two years.
President of UK expert services Alex Probyn said huge growth in the casual dining market pushed restaurant numbers up by 16% since 2010.
“Extra tax for business rates coupled with rising food prices and staff costs through increases in both the national and minimum wages created a lethal cocktail as margins were squeezed,” he said.