HospitalityUK Parliamentary Reception Brings Sector to Westminster a Week Ahead of Budget

HospitalityUK hosted its annual Parliamentary Reception at Westminster on Tuesday 20 October, bringing together parliamentarians and hospitality operators to highlight the sector’s contribution to jobs, growth and local communities.

Held just a week before the 2026 Budget, the event gave the industry an opportunity to brief MPs and peers on the measures it says it needs from the Chancellor. Businesses told attendees how they create employment on every high street and drive economic activity in every postcode.

Members of the House of Lords attended alongside MPs, many of whom play a role in shaping legislation that affects the sector. The MPs present represented rural and coastal communities across the UK, including constituencies in Scotland and Wales, which organisers said reflected the diversity of hospitality’s offer and its potential for growth across the country.

The range of businesses attending covered indoor leisure, pubs, hotels, quick service restaurants, late night and contract catering. HospitalityUK said the conversations gave parliamentarians real-life examples of how policy decisions affect day-to-day operations and investment plans.

Chris Webb MP opened the reception and welcomed guests. “Today gives us the opportunity to reflect on the opportunities the sector brings through providing jobs, driving growth and bringing communities together,” he said.

Kate Dearden MP, Minister for the Future of Work and Hospitality, praised the sector’s record in giving young people their first experience of work, and the lasting soft skills a job in hospitality provides.

Drawing on her own experience, she said: “My first job was in a café when I was 14. I eventually became a manager and that job gave me more skills and experience than I could ever imagine. It showed me the differences an opportunity can make. It’s why I feel so strongly about the challenges facing young people.”

Julia Lopez MP, Interim Shadow Secretary of State for Business, pointed to the tangible benefits hospitality brings to local communities, describing the sector as a true barometer of the health of high streets and the wider economy. She acknowledged the pressures operators face.

“I had the privilege of seeing the sheer power of the sector across the UK,” she said. “Places being busy doesn’t equal profitability. That’s the problem you’re facing right now.”

Daisy Cooper MP, Treasury Spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats, spoke about hospitality’s role in creating places people want to live in and visit, and said the Government needs to get behind the sector and the opportunities it offers.

“A high street is the glue that knots communities together,” she said. “It’s the entire ecosystem.”

HospitalityUK chief executive Allen Simpson looked ahead to the Budget and what the sector requires to deliver growth nationwide

“I hope we will see real change at this Budget that helps us recover, and to create jobs,” he said.