Pontefract: Hospitality 'make or break' in Christmas run-up

Gary Egan has opened a new bar in Pontefract ahead of the Christmas rush of trade

Hospitality businesses say they face "make or break" this Christmas as they deal with Covid money losses and the cost of living crisis.

Established and new businesses in Pontefract are relying on work parties and festive gatherings to make up for expected quieter months in early 2023.

UK Hospitality, representing thousands of venues, says independents will "run out of road" without December success.

A Pontefract bar only two weeks old said seeing new customers was a "buzz".

Gary Egan, from the Hideaway bar, admits the decision to open in a difficult trading environment was "taking a chance".

"We need to open as much as we can to get the word out and bring people in here," he said.

"We're looking at surviving, genuinely we're looking at getting through this, keeping customers and staff happy and making staff happy."

He added: "Watching people come through that door is a buzz, and hearing them say they're going to come back again."

Gino Pisciotta of the Mamma Mia in Pontefract says work Christmas parties are an opportunity to impress first-time visitors to the restaurant

Some restaurants have shrunk their menus in a bid to deal with high food prices, with Pontefract's Mamma Mia Italian restaurant also seeing bills rise.

"Cost of product is going through the roof, electricity and gas is going to be an issue too," said Gino Pisciotta.

"Some days you'll go to a cash and carry and buy something, the next day you go in and they've doubled the price - you try to make cuts where you can and put prices up where you think it's reasonable."

The restaurateur is looking on the bright side during the busy period, with people spending more per head at the restaurant during December - particularly in midweek.

"It's a really good opportunity to bring in new customers, there's usually one person from a works Christmas do who brings 10 people who've never been before," he adds.

The Green Dragon on Cornmarket in Pontefract says takings during the week between Christmas and New Year are double usual levels

At the well established Green Dragon pub, landlady Terrina Woodhouse said takings during the week in between Christmas and New Year tended to be double what they usually see.

"It's absolutely make or break, we do go Christmas crazy - it's what gets us through," she said.

"We need it because it dramatically falls in January and February."

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UK Hospitality, said these businesses have seen "two years of really tough trading".

"Energy bills are soaring 400-500%, food price inflation is at 22%, wage rate inflation at 13% and you're seeing an intense squeeze on the margins and the viability of these businesses," she said.

"Without a really positive Christmas trading period, I fear we will see the loss of many more businesses, particularly small independents, as they just simply run out of road if they don't get enough cash through the tills."