Page 3 - Hospitality Report July 2021

A Local Context
A local hospitality economy in Wakefield has formed the basis of insight for this report. Our experience spans the hospitality sector both nationally and internationally. We have taken a deep-dive approach into the Wakefield district as an economically challenged city. We strongly believe that if Wakefield can come together with community spirit, innovate and have a vision to turn the sector around, then every town and city in the UK can work together to achieve the same.
Part 1 – Closure of Hospitality
Our experience in the early stages of the pandemic was an immediate observation around the increased production, adaptation, and use of technology to facilitate the challenges around maintaining revenue streams and customer engagement with hospitality.
1. Takeaway Apps
When the pandemic first arrived, there was an immediate need to continue serving customers. With hospitality closed, takeaway service was a natural opportunity. National takeaway apps began to thrive, and local takeaway apps started to grow. When customers couldn’t eat out, the opportunity was to take food to them. With an industry with high margins, many smaller hospitality businesses started to see the value in a smaller profit margin is more significant than 100% of nothing.
Rapid Response with Technology