Are we seeing the Hospitality Sector fold before our eyes?

Roux an Parliament Square

2020 has been a disaster for many businesses sectors with most severely effected that of hospitably and tourism. We have all heard the crazy headlines from alcohol sales banned in pubs along with you can only have a pint of beer if you order a large enough Scotch egg. Especially pubs and restaurants, they have been put through the drier what with being told they can re-open and then not, restricted seating, no alcohol selling, earlier closing times and then thrown in to tiers completely turning their world upside down (again). Being connected to the hospitality myself, and especially during this covid-19 horror show, I can vouch that they are some of the most hygienic places to visit.

Following almost three months of lockdown due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, restaurants in the United Kingdom were allowed to re-open on July 4, 2020 providing they followed strict hygiene conditions to prevent a second wave of virus. A week later on July 11, the number of seated diners in UK restaurants were still down by around 45 percent, but began to gradually increase. The country reintroduced lockdown measures affecting restaurants on November 5, following an increase in the number of new COVID infection cases. As of December 1, 2020, the percentage of seated restaurant diners in the UK was around 96.05 percent lower than the last year’s figures.” source statista

Social media has been awash of updates from disillusioned and disappointed people in the restaurant and pub trade, commonly we see photos of barrels of beer being poured down the drains or food thrown away (I have seen innovative solutions by some restaurants where they simply sold off food stock at the local markets). Places once normally busy with visitors are now closed or on restricted hours and working conditions, many times we walk past what was once a vibrant pub though now simply all dark inside with stalls stacked on tables.

There are many headlines online sharing updates more towards closures of restaurants and bars rather than opening, for example ‘These notable Chicago restaurants and bars have now permanently closed‘. Across the country with many independents, there has been a steady closure of hospitality venues that now includes famous names such as that of ‘Roux’ restaurant at Parliament Square in London’s Westminster.

It is expected that in January 2021 the government will enforce stricter tiers and many more hospitality venues will be forced to close again and it is for sure that for many it will be their ‘last time of closing’ – The furlough payment scheme is due to end at the close of March 2021 and it is very much expected that the full force of the devastation within hospitality sector will be seen.

Christopher Walkey

Founder of Estate Agent Networking. Internationally invited speaker on how to build online target audiences using Social Media. Writes about UK property prices, housing, politics and affordable homes.

You May Also Enjoy

Estate Agent Talk

The ‘Rentvesting’ Strategy: Owning a Home Where You Can’t Afford to Live

Oh, the ever-evolving property market. Keeps us wondering: how will I keep my head above water? And this is how a war-like property strategist is born. One of these savvy strategies is called: rentvesting. This is the art of renting where you want to live and buying where it fits your wallet.  Getting your foot…
Read More
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Momentum gathers for retail investment as Bank Rate cut again

Demand to invest in retail property was up by 30% in Q3 2025 compared to the same period in 2024 The office market is also continuing to recover, with investment demand up by 31% over the same period, and leasing demand up by 7% Overall demand to invest in commercial property was up by 11%…
Read More
Breaking News

Surge in first-time buyers’ preference for cheaper homes subsides as market adjusts to April’s stamp duty changes

Proportion of first-time buyers purchasing properties under £300k decreased to 64.3 per cent in September, following a peak of 72.0 per cent in May after changes to stamp duty thresholds Detached and semi-detached homes now make up nearly two-thirds of non-first-time buyer purchases, as ‘second-steppers’ look for long-term security Spending on mortgage and rental payments…
Read More
Breaking News

UK House Price Index summary: August 2025

The average price of a property in the UK was £273,000 The annual price change for a property in the UK was 3.0% The monthly price change for a property in the UK was 0.8% The monthly index figure (January 2023 = 100) for the UK was 104.6   Colleen Babcock, Rightmove’s property expert, says:…
Read More
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 22/10/25

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   Why software audits matter for Proptechs In today’s hyper-competitive real estate technology landscape, scaling too quickly, or operating with outdated or inefficient systems can expose firms to risks far beyond lost opportunities. That’s why an increasing number of organisations are turning to a specialised…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

Demand for project properties soars versus general market

New research from The Property DriveBuy reveals that demand for fixer-upper properties is easily eclipsing overall market demand as homebuyers demonstrate a strong appetite for renovation projects amidst ongoing affordability restrictions due to stubbornly higher mortgage rates and slow but steady house price growth. Across England, there are currently an estimated 601,525 homes listed for…
Read More