London’s Tube strikes are hitting the capital’s pub and restaurant industry hard, with some bars bracing for their lowest days of trading.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union began a 24-hour walkout on Tuesday, with another strike planned for Thursday, causing chaos across the capital’s underground network.
Many commuters have chosen to avoid the journey into central London altogether, prompting disastrous impacts for pubs and restaurants who rely on commuter footfall.
Mark Reynolds, director of the Three Cheers Pub Group, said the group’s Trafalgar Pub in Chelsea has had its trade “destroyed” by the Tube strikes.
“We’re looking at one of our lowest trading days to date,” he told The Standard.
“It’s incredibly frustrating for businesses who are impacted negatively. There is no compensation in the form of business rates or rent reductions.”
He added the usually busy King’s Road has become “a ghost town”.
FlipDog, a bar in Old Street, said whilst it fully respects the rights of transport workers to strike, the impact on hospitality has been “immediate and significant.”
Alex Lyoness, bar manager at FlipDog, said in addition to lower foot traffic, they have seen a higher number of cancellations and increased wastage in stock which has carried “real costs” for the newly-opened business.
Eamonn Manson, co-founder of Brook and Badger pub in Fulham, said: “The impact of the Tube strikes will hit hospitality hardest in central London, delivering a double blow - quieter days as people work from home and softer evenings as customers stay local.”
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The silver lining is that local pubs outside of Zones 1 and 2 are expected to see a potential uplift in trade, said Mr Manson.
The Three Cheers Pub Group reported that its pub The Avalon in Balham has seen a boost in lunch trade with more people staying closer to home.
The knock-on effect for London’s breweries is also expected to be significant.
Tom Bott, founder of Signature Brew, said: “Around 95% of our London sales come through the on-trade, heavily concentrated in Zones 1 and 2
“When Tube strikes hit, we typically see a c.30% drop versus what we’d expect.”
On Tuesday, in a statement released by the British Beer and Pub Association, CEO Emma McClarkin said: "In a typical week, London's pubs generate approximately £80m in GVA between Tuesday and Friday alone.
"This doesn't just boost the economy but represents the jobs, high streets, and community spirit that revolve around pubs.
"At a time when so many locals are already operating on a knife edge because of huge costs, significant disruption to trade will be acutely felt.”
London’s hospitality industry has already suffered from tax rises and supply fears due to the Iran war.
The RMT is calling for a four-day week, improvement to the length of shifts, and changes to annual leave.
Claire Mann, TfL’s chief operating officer, said: “We have set out proposals to the RMT for a four-day working week.
“This allows us to offer train operators an additional day off, whilst at the same time bringing London Underground in line with the working patterns of other train operating companies, improving reliability and flexibility at no additional cost.
“The changes would be voluntary, there would be no reduction in contractual hours and those who wish to continue a five-day working week pattern would be able to do so.”
A separate 24-hour strike impacting London’s buses operated by Stagecoach is expected to go ahead from 5am on Friday.
