Manchester's restaurants are really up against it - there is one thing the government could do

For many of Manchester’s restaurant and bar owners, the ripple effect Covid-19 is still being felt. One of the most pressing issues facing the industry in the wake of the pandemic is the number of staff vacancies left unfilled, though it’s not the only problem they’re confronting.

According to ONS data from mid-June, the sector is experiencing 83 percent more vacancies compared to March to May 2019. And while the industry has created hundreds of thousands of jobs over the last twelve months, its recovery is still being hampered by staff shortages.

Getting back on track has been difficult enough, but now issues around staffing are being rivalled by spiralling energy bills and food prices - the cost of living is really starting to bite.

According to data by Barclaycard, consumer spending on nights out and takeaways dropped in April compared with the previous month. Growth in bars, pubs and clubs was also lower than in March and the proportion of British people feeling concerned about the impact of rising costs remained high at 90 percent.

It’s constantly on the minds of all those working in hospitality, like Braddan Quayle, owner of Northern Quarter Bar Alvarium, who says the rise in costs has been “astronomical”. Only a few months ago, the bar owner had another battle on his hands - persuading the council to let him move tables and chairs onto the street outside his bar ahead of summer, in a bid to save his business as it recovered from the pandemic.

Now, his main concern is keeping the business afloat as he faces up to the rising costs: “refuse collection is increasing by 17 percent, drink suppliers by at least eight percent and fresh produce by around six percent. We’re having to transfer these costs to the customers in