150 Greene King apprenticeships available for A-Level recipients
Suffolk-based brewer and pub operator Greene King has encouraged recipients of A-Level results this week to consider applying for 150 live apprenticeship vacancies.
Since 2011, Greene King has supported more than 12,500 apprentices with opportunities ranging from front of house and kitchen roles to management and supervisory positions.
“We know that university might not be the right path for everyone, but an apprenticeship can provide an alternative route and be the start of a rewarding and fulfilling career,” Graham Briggs, head of apprenticeships and employability programmes at Greene King, said.
“Our apprenticeship programme enables young people to earn while they learn, offering the best of both worlds. With a particularly challenging jobs market at the moment, we are pleased that we can continue providing roles to young people at the start of their careers.
“Apprenticeships play a hugely important role in social mobility, and we are continuing to invest in our programme so we can provide more opportunities and quality training for young people entering the hospitality industry.
“We look forward to welcoming more new team members and offering them an exciting and rewarding career with us.”
Be Inclusive Hospitality launches mentorship scheme
Not-for-profit organisation Be Inclusive Hospitality has unveiled a new mentorship scheme to support black, Asian and minority ethnic employees within the sector.
Due to launch in autumn, the Elevate Mentorship Scheme programme will include mentors such as chefs James Cochran and Nokx Majozi; author, recipe writer and food stylist Rukmini Iyer; as well as food critic Jimi Famurewa.
Be Inclusive Hospitality will also work in tandem with like-minded businesses within the sector and granting access to tools and resources to address the lack of diversity in the hospitality industry – particularly in head chef, managerial and leadership roles.
The group, founded last year by senior procurement leader Lorraine Copes, who has worked for brands such as Shake Shack, Gordon Ramsay and currently Corbin & King, aims to 'advance learning throughout the sector; beginning with a focus on its members and providing them with mentoring, coaching, and sponsored learning initiatives'.
The organisation adds that it is calling upon mentors from diverse backgrounds and mentees from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds to get in touch.
Hall & Woodhouse appoints new group financial director
Dorset-based brewer and operator of 180 pubs across southern England, Hall & Woodhouse has appointed Paul Barnett as its Group financial director.
Previously a partner at professional services firm Deloitte, Barnett is a chartered accountant and fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales. He has also worked for Just Eat, Anglo American and Rio Tinto.
Barnett will lead Hall & Woodhouse’s finance and IT teams and will be responsible for developing and delivering the company’s financial and IT strategy.
“Given current events it is a fascinating time to be joining Hall & Woodhouse,” Barnett said of his new post.
“I have been fortunate that through my time with Deloitte, I have worked with many of the world’s largest companies through both good and bad times. I will use these experiences to help drive and deliver Hall & Woodhouse’s ambitious growth strategy.
“A key part of my role will be team leadership. I am passionate about supporting my people to enable them to achieve their career goals. I am already enjoying getting to know everyone in the business and visiting all our pubs.
“What drew me to working for Hall & Woodhouse was the company’s ambitious drive to grow and the fact that its teams and local communities are at the heart of everything it does. I’m excited to work at a company where our values fully align.”
730,000 jobs lost since lockdown began
Data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has shown that close to three quarters of a million Brits have lost their jobs since the start of Covid-19 lockdown - despite continuing support for employers via Government loans and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) for furloughed workers.
More than four in every five (83%) hospitality operators furloughed at least 90% of their staff during the novel coronavirus crisis, with 96% of sites putting more than 70% of workers on the coronavirus job retention scheme according to CGA’s Business Confidence Survey.
The ONS said its claimant count - which comprises those claiming benefits for unemployment and because they are on low incomes - rose 116.8% to 2.7m between March and July.
The figures were released hours before the Treasury confirmed that businesses had secured Government-backed loans of close to £52bn to date with 9.6m workers' pay supported by the CJRS.
The release of ONS figures follow the Bank of England’s forecast that job losses are likely to hit 7.5% before the end of the year.
What’s more, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has warned that the UK faces “difficult choices” after tumbling into its first official recession in 11 years, and that job losses are likely to get worse before they get better.
“I’ve said before that hard times were ahead, and today’s figures confirm that hard times are here,” he said. “Hundreds of thousands of people have already lost their jobs, and sadly in the coming months many more will.
“But while there are difficult choices to be made ahead, we will get through this, and I can assure people that nobody will be left without hope or opportunity.”
Up to 130 JDW roles ‘at risk of redundancy'
Pub giant JD Wetherspoon (JDW) has notified its entire head office workforce that a possible 110 to 130 positions are at risk of redundancy.
In an announcement on 6 August, JDW emphasised that redundancies would be confined to its head office operations and that no staff working in its 873 pubs would be affected.
The news comes around six months after the operator raised in the region of £141m, before fees, from a share placing in April 2020.
“The company has written to all 417 people employed at head office (including those regionally based) to inform them that a possible 110 to 130 positions are at risk of redundancy,” JDW chief executive John Hutson said.
£500,000 Roseacre refurb creates 40 jobs
The opening of the Beacon Hotel in Burton on Trent, Staffordshire - Midlands-based Roseacre Pub Company’s ninth site and its fourth with Star Pubs & Bars – has created 40 jobs.
Closed since Christmas, the venue was originally due to reopen in April following a £500,000 revamp in tandem with Heinken’s pub arm, however its unveiling was delayed due to the Government’s enforced pub closure to stem the spread of Covid-19.
Roseacre’s managing director Michael Thomas, who founded the company in 2014, is now looking to double the size of his estate of suburban pubs across the Midlands.
“I am optimistic about the future as our pubs are all located in suburbs and are doing well,” he said. “The Covid effect - people spending more time at home rather than travelling to work - benefits our business model. We are still looking to expand our business and are always looking for great sites, like the Beacon.”
Latest Coaching Inn addition to create 40 new roles
The addition of the Talbot Hotel in Malton, North Yorkshire, to Lincolnshire-based specialist hotel and inn operator, The Coaching Inn Group’s growing estate is expected to create 40 new jobs, according to CEO Kevin Charity.
The 26-bedroom Talbot becomes The Coaching Inn Group’s 18th site after an agreement was reached with the Fitzwilliam Malton Estate.
According to its website, the Fitzwilliam Malton Estate is the freehold owner of much of Malton’s commercial property and represents the interests of Sir Philip Naylor-Leyland whose family has owned property in the market town since 1713.
The 17th century Talbot was relaunched eight years ago following an extensive investment by the estate, and becomes The Coaching Inn Group’s most recent addition after the purchase of the 33-bedroom Rutland Arms Hotel in Bakewell, Derbyshire, in February.