The ALMR, the leading trade body for licensed hospitality, has seen its membership increase by 35% over last year, with an influx of 62 new members in the first half of this year including CG Restaurants, Fabric, Grand Union Bars, Lovely Pubs, The Luminar Group and Ministry of Sound.
The recruitment of these new members reinforces the vibrancy and diversity of licensed hospitality, a sector which contributes £21bn Gross Value Added to the economy – up 8% in each of the past 2 years – and employs 10% of the UK workforce. The latest ALMR research shows that the sector generates 1 in 8 of all new jobs and is forecast to grow by over 6% in the next 2 years.
Commenting on this expansion, Membership and Research Manager Matt Steinhofel said:
“Our successful and increasingly influential lobbying efforts – the work we are doing on EMROs and late-night levies, applying pressure to Councils – has attracted significant support from pub, bar and casual dining operators in the last 6 months. This growth in membership is recognition of our growing credibility and we will continue to focus on what matters most to operators.’’
ALMR Chief Executive, David McHattie, added:
“With so much pressure being exerted on operators from increasingly puritanical lobbyists it has never been more important for food and drink retailers to be robustly represented every day in the corridors of Whitehall. Every new member increases our growing reputation as the voice of reason representing an industry which is a hot-bed of growth, job creation and entrepreneurial enterprise.”
About the ALMR
The ALMR is the only national trade body dedicated to representing the interests of licensed hospitality operators – pub, club, bar and casual dining retailers – between them running 13,500 outlets employing over 350,000 employees. This equates to 60% of late night and 90% of managed pubs and bars.
The average pub pays 46% of turnover in taxes and generates £190k Gross Value Added for its local economy.
Overall, 20 million meals, 3.6 million cups of coffee and 15 million customers are served per week.