The new study reveals there have been an estimated 650,000 sector job losses since January and a 26% drop in overall staff compared to November 2019.

The hospitality workforce shrunk by 4% in November, compared to 7% in October. The number of hours worked across the sector was 75% lower compared to November 2019.

Fourth’s data, which has been aggregated from analysis of over 700 companies across the restaurant, pub and bar sector revealed as many as 9,845 hospitality workers lost their jobs in November 2020. 

This is the smallest decline in workforce number since June and Fourth suggests that the Government’s furlough scheme, which was extended until March 2021, is protecting some sector jobs.

Sebastien Sepierre, managing director of Fourth, commented: “While these figures continue to make for bleak reading, it is encouraging to see that hospitality businesses are continuing to battle on through the pandemic, with the data suggesting that the sector was perhaps better prepared for the second national lockdown.

“This time of year usually brings with it a mammoth recruitment drive, as operators gear up for the busy festive schedule. While the data indicates that recruitment is continuing to drop, what is encouraging is that the continuation of the furlough scheme is seemingly protecting sector jobs and significantly reducing the number of redundancies.

“As we approach the New Year, the coming months are going to remain tough, but there is light at the end of the proverbial tunnel and, with effective planning, coupled with a suitable level of top-line support and appropriate compensation for restrictions that are harming operators’ ability to trade, the sector can and will bounce back.”