Job offers in catering and tourism plummet by up to 75% over the past year

Job offers in catering and tourism plummet by up to 75% over the past year – but roles in social care and distribution are soaring during pandemic

  • Job postings in the catering sector are down by 75% compared to a year ago
  • Leisure and tourism fell 68% and retail dropped by 48.6% 
  • The biggest increases were in distribution (up 44%), social care (27%), and medical, pharmaceutical and scientific (26%) 

The number of jobs on offer in industries such as catering and tourism has shown a huge fall in the past year, as opposed to an increase in sectors including distribution and social care, a new study suggests.

Jobs site CV-Library said in general there had been ‘resilience’ in the employment market during the latest lockdown because of the virus crisis.

Job postings in the catering sector are down by 75% compared to a year ago, leisure and tourism fell 68% and retail dropped by 48.6%.

The biggest increases were in distribution (up 44%), social care (27%), and medical, pharmaceutical and scientific (26%).

Job postings in the catering sector are down by 75% compared to a year ago, leisure and tourism fell 68% and retail dropped by 48.6% (Stock image) 

There was also an increase in managerial roles and for jobs in the telecoms industry, said the report.

The total number of vacancies is down by 10% on a year ago, said CV-Library.

Chief executive Lee Biggins said: ‘Starting 2021 in another full lockdown, and off the back of a year spent mainly under restrictions, many feared this would be a tipping point for the UK job market.

‘The impact of Covid-19 is still clear to see within the individual sectors, but the overall initial impact of this third lockdown appears to be the least damaging, proving that we are learning to navigate and adapt in these unprecedented times.

The number of jobs on offer in industries such as catering and tourism has shown a huge fall in the past year, as opposed to an increase in sectors including distribution and social care, a new study suggests. Above, Frankie & Benny's in London is closed amid the Covid-19 pandemic

The number of jobs on offer in industries such as catering and tourism has shown a huge fall in the past year, as opposed to an increase in sectors including distribution and social care, a new study suggests. Above, Frankie & Benny’s in London is closed amid the Covid-19 pandemic 

‘January is traditionally one of the busiest times of the year for the job market and we must acknowledge this seasonal boost.

‘For job postings to be only 10% down should provide a boost to both employers and jobseekers and is a reassuring start to what looks to be another uncertain year.’

In the latest high street bloodbath, Debenhams today confirmed it will shut their flagship Oxford Street shop along with five others permanently as the liquidation of the historical department store chain continues.

The department store closures will result in the loss of around 320 jobs, with stores in Portsmouth, Staines, Harrogate, Weymouth and Worcester closing their doors for good. 

Debenhams will shut the chain's flagship Oxford Street store along with five others permanantly as the wind down of the historical chain continues

Debenhams will shut the chain’s flagship Oxford Street store along with five others permanantly as the wind down of the historical chain continues 

The company started a liquidation process last month after failing to secure a last-minute rescue sale. 

The chain’s remaining 139 shops are currently trying to sell off all their stock – a process made harder by the current national lockdown. 

It followed a bruising year for the high street which saw Sir Philip Green’s Arcadia group also collapse.

Arcadia, which owns Topshop, Miss Selfridge, Dorothy Perkins and Burton, tipped into administration, putting 13,000 jobs at risk.  

Arcadia’s concessions, including Topshop and Dorothy Perkins, were worth £75million-a-year in sales to Debenhams. 

Cath Kidston, Laura Ashley and Oasis were among the retailers that entered administration last year. 

How more than 210,000 job losses have been revealed by major UK firms since lockdown began 

Some 210,781 job losses have been announced by major British employers since the start of the coronavirus lockdown in March as follows:

  • October 7 – Greene King – 800 
  • October 6 – Virgin Money – 400 
  • October 6 – Vp – 150 
  • October 5 – Cineworld – 5,500 (many cuts likely to be temporary) 
  • September 30 – TSB – 900 
  • September 30 – Shell – 9,000 worldwide 
  • September 29 – Ferguson – 1,200
  • September 22 – Wetherspoon – 400 to 450
  • September 22 – Whitbread – 6,000
  • September 18 – Investec – 210
  • September 15 – Waitrose – 124
  • September 14 – London City Airport – 239
  • September 9 – Lloyds Bank – 865
  • September 9 – Pizza Hut – 450
  • September 4 – Virgin Atlantic – 1,150
  • September 3 – Costa – 1,650
  • August 27 – Pret a Manger – 2,800 (includes 1,000 announced on July 6)
  • August 26 – Gatwick Airport – 600
  • August 25 – Co-operative Bank – 350
  • August 20 – Alexander Dennis – 650
  • August 18 – Bombardier – 95
  • August 18 – Marks & Spencer – 7,000
  • August 14 – Yo! Sushi – 250
  • August 14 – River Island – 350
  • August 12 – NatWest – 550
  • August 11 – InterContinental Hotels – 650 worldwide
  • August 11 – Debenhams – 2,500
  • August 7 – Evening Standard – 115
  • August 6 – Travelex – 1,300
  • August 6 – Wetherspoons – 110 to 130
  • August 5 – M&Co – 380
  • August 5 – Arsenal FC – 55
  • August 5 – WH Smith – 1,500
  • August 4 – Dixons Carphone – 800
  • August 4 – Pizza Express – 1,100 at risk
  • August 3 – Hays Travel – up to 878
  • August 3 – DW Sports – 1,700 at risk
  • July 31 – Byron – 651
  • July 30 – Pendragon – 1,800
  • July 29 – Waterstones – unknown number of head office roles
  • July 28 – Selfridges – 450
  • July 27 – Oak Furnitureland – 163 at risk
  • July 23 – Dyson – 600 in UK, 300 overseas
  • July 22 – Mears – fewer than 200
  • July 20 – Marks & Spencer – 950 at risk
  • July 17 – Azzurri Group (owns Zizzi and Ask Italian) – up to 1,200
  • July 16 – Genting – 1,642 at risk
  • July 16 – Burberry – 150 in UK, 350 overseas
  • July 15 – Banks Mining – 250 at risk
  • July 15 – Buzz Bingo – 573 at risk
  • July 14 – Vertu – 345 July 14 – DFS – up to 200 at risk
  • July 9 – General Electric – 369
  • July 9 – Eurostar – unknown number
  • July 9 – Boots – 4,000
  • July 9 – John Lewis – 1,300 at risk
  • July 9 – Burger King – 1,600 at risk
  • July 7 – Reach (owns Daily Mirror and Daily Express newspapers) – 550
  • July 6 – Pret a Manger – 1,000 at risk
  • July 2 – Casual Dining Group (owns Bella Italia and Cafe Rouge) – 1,909
  • July 1 – SSP (owns Upper Crust) – 5,000 at risk
  • July 1 – Arcadia (owns TopShop) – 500
  • July 1 – Harrods – 700
  • July 1 – Virgin Money – 300
  • June 30 – Airbus – 1,700
  • June 30 – TM Lewin – 600
  • June 30 – Smiths Group – ‘some job losses’
  • June 25 – Royal Mail – 2,000
  • June 24 – Jet2 – 102
  • June 24 – Swissport – 4,556
  • June 24 – Crest Nicholson – 130
  • June 23 – Shoe Zone – unknown number of jobs in head office
  • June 19 – Aer Lingus – 500
  • June 17 – HSBC – unknown number of jobs in UK, 35,000 worldwide
  • June 15 – Jaguar Land Rover – 1,100
  • June 15 – Travis Perkins – 2,500
  • June 12 – Le Pain Quotidien – 200
  • June 11 – Heathrow – at least 500
  • June 11 – Bombardier – 600
  • June 11 – Johnson Matthey – 2,500
  • June 11 – Centrica – 5,000
  • June 10 – Quiz – 93
  • June 10 – The Restaurant Group (owns Frankie and Benny’s) – 3,000
  • June 10 – Monsoon Accessorise – 545
  • June 10 – Everest Windows – 188
  • June 8 – BP – 10,000 worldwide
  • June 8 – Mulberry – 375
  • June 5 – Victoria’s Secret – 800 at risk
  • June 5 – Bentley – 1,000
  • June 4 – Aston Martin – 500
  • June 4 – Lookers – 1,500
  • May 29 – Belfast International Airport – 45
  • May 28 – Debenhams (in second announcement) – ‘hundreds’ of jobs
  • May 28 – EasyJet – 4,500 worldwide
  • May 26 – McLaren – 1,200
  • May 22 – Carluccio’s – 1,000
  • May 21 – Clarks – 900
  • May 20 – Rolls-Royce – 9,000
  • May 20 – Bovis Homes – unknown number
  • May 19 – Ovo Energy – 2,600
  • May 19 – Antler – 164
  • May 15 – JCB – 950 at risk
  • May 13 – Tui – 8,000 worldwide
  • May 12 – Carnival UK (owns P&O Cruises and Cunard) – 450
  • May 11 – P&O Ferries – 1,100 worldwide
  • May 5 – Virgin Atlantic – 3,150
  • May 1 – Ryanair – 3,000 worldwide
  • April 30 – Oasis Warehouse – 1,800
  • April 29 – WPP – unknown number
  • April 28 – British Airways – 12,000
  • April 23 – Safran Seats – 400
  • April 23 – Meggitt – 1,800 worldwide
  • April 21 – Cath Kidston – 900
  • April 17 – Debenhams – 422
  • March 31 – Laura Ashley – 268
  • March 30 – BrightHouse – 2,400 at risk
  • March 27 – Chiquito – 1,500 at risk