Hospitality shift hours fall 30% as pubs and restaurants cut back amid rising costs

"New data from Bristol-based hospitality recruitment platform Limber shows that average shift hours posted by hospitality businesses in 2025 are down 30% compared with 2022, underlining the depth of pressure facing operators across the industry. According to Limber, average monthly shift hours per business have fallen from 112 hours in 2022 to just 79 hours in 2025, as venues attempt to control costs by running leaner rotas and reducing reliance on flexible labour."

"Chris Sanderson, chief executive of Limber, said the data reflects a structural shift in how pubs and restaurants are operating. "Hospitality businesses have been steadily cutting staff hours since the pandemic," he said. "A combination of increased costs and falling consumer confidence means venues are trying to do more with less and, in many cases, are simply quieter than they were before. "Until the economy improves and people genuinely feel better off, this worrying trend is likely to continue.""

UK pubs and restaurants have cut staffing sharply as average posted shift hours per business fell 30% from 112 hours in 2022 to 79 hours in 2025. Operators are running leaner rotas and reducing reliance on flexible labour to control rising costs. The hospitality sector faces double-digit inflation, higher wage bills, rising taxes, elevated interest rates and a prolonged cost-of-living crisis that has weakened consumer demand. Many venues are shortening opening hours, reducing service levels, or depending more on owners and core staff. Smaller independent venues face acute pressures, forcing selective price rises and cost absorption to stay competitive.

Read at Business Matters