Pubs and restaurants to lose £2.3 billion because of crippling strikes on the railways, industry chiefs warn
PUBS, clubs and restaurants will lose £2.3 billion in takings because of crippling strikes on the railways, industry chiefs have warned.
Usually boisterous high streets and town centres have been left virtual ghost towns because of the RMT’s walkouts.
UK Hospitality - which represents pubs and boozers - said their all-important Christmas takings have been decimated by the action.
In the past week alone, takings have nosedived by £1.5bn
This is expected to rocket to £2.3bn when the train strikes in early January are included.
One in 3 Christmas party bookings (35 per cent) were cancelled across the UK over the past week.
In central London, two thirds (65 per cent) of bookings were cancelled.
Kate Nicholls, from UK Hospitality said: “It is now clear we cannot afford to go on like this.
“Businesses are being pushed to breaking point and for city centre pubs and restaurants it could be the final nail in the coffin.
“That puts jobs and livelihoods at risk and means the Chancellor is losing out on valuable taxes to fund public services.
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“We now need all sides to come together, compromise and draw a line under this damaging dispute before the cost is too high.”
It comes as Rishi Sunak accuses Mick Lynch of being a “Grinch” who wants to “steal Christmas” with his crippling rail strikes.
The PM said the RMT had caused “misery for millions” with their “cruelly timed” walkouts.
In his most outspoken attack on unions yet, he accused Mr Lynch of trying to hold Britain to ransom with his “class war”.
Writing in today’s Sun on Sunday, Rishi said families have had their Christmas plans wrecked while pubs are deserted because of walkouts.
He said: “The unions are causing misery for millions , with transport strikes in particular cruelly timed to hit at Christmas.”
He added: “Rail workers and border officers have been offered deals that are fair – and affordable to taxpayers.
“An increasing number of union members want a deal. They are tired of being foot soldiers in Mick Lynch's class war.”
Caving to union demands for massive pay rises will kick Britain into an “inflation spiral” that will end up clobbering the poorest hardest.
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Turning the screw on Sir Keir Starmer, he said Labour admit union pay demands are “unaffordable” but they will “still take union money and undermine the interests of the travelling public”.
He spoke out as Britain is hit by the biggest wave of industrial unrest since the 1980s.