An ambitious project, led by ex Pret a Manger and YO! Sushi marketer Mark McCulloch to try to reignite and rescue the hospitality talent crisis starts its fundraise this week.
Hospitality Rising, the group behind the initiative, is aiming to raise £5m to launch a recruitment campaign to attract more talent into the industry as it starts to recover and build back its muscle post Brexit and the impact the pandemic continues to have on one of Britain’s most loved industry sectors.
McCulloch has already raised £200k pre fundraising launch from a range of companies backing the campaign. These include a whole range of large, medium and small operators, industry suppliers and corporate sponsors. From Biff’s Kitchen to Cote, Koop + Kraft, Peach Pubs, Wild Flor, Punch Pubs, Butlin’s, Rhubarb Hospitality Group, Hilton, Buzzworks, Pizza Pilgrims, The Dog at Wingham, Wahaca, ARC Inspirations, Loungers. Fourth & Church, Coal Shed, Marugame, Hawksmoor and Pizza Express.
Commenting on the launch, Mark says:
“The support we’ve had from the industry and some of our marketing contacts has been amazing. We now need to raise enough money to really land a high profile that will both attract people back into the industry or make those who haven’t considered our sector as a viable, exciting, creative and rewarding career.”
Kate Nicholls OBE, CEO, UKHospitality, said:
“We’re very pleased to be working closely with Mark and Hospitality Rising to develop and promote a comprehensive campaign to address chronic labour and skills shortages in the hospitality industry with a range of short and long-term plans, and in particular to raise awareness of the need for all-important campaign funding. It has our full backing and we’re excited to see such early and positive momentum.”
The campaign has also secured £250,000 worth of pro bono creative strategy time and concept development from a clutch of top agencies via the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA), led by Julian Douglas. He has pulled together the best advertising agencies in the UK to crack the hospitality talent challenge including VCCP (O2 and Cadbury), Ogilvy (Burger King and Coca Cola), and Forever Beta (Google and Amazon).
