Why the West End's hospitality success depends on its workforce

by Alasdair McClimont 

Across the West End, restaurants, cafés, bars and hotels are a huge part of what makes the area so attractive, and it’s their staff creating the experiences that keep people coming back. 

Demand in the West End is only set to grow, with VisitBritain forecasting 44.2 million inbound visits to the UK in 2026, up 2% on last year. For hospitality businesses, including our customers, this brings opportunities to increase footfall and spend. At the same time, making the most of this demand depends on having the right people in place. 

Supporting the people who power the West End  

Hospitality is an important source of employment, offering many young people the chance to develop valuable skills. Recent research from Hilton found that 76% of business leaders would be more likely to hire someone with hospitality experience over an otherwise equally qualified candidate.  

As one of the UK’s largest employment sectors, hospitality needs a strong workforce to thrive. Yet connecting employers with the right candidates can be a challenge; employers can struggle to find candidates with the right skills and attitude, while potential applicants may not be aware of where opportunities can be found or the breadth of roles available.    

As long-term custodians of the West End, we are supporting our customers by creating a new point of connection, giving them the opportunity to meet in person with councils, other landlords and those looking for work. By doing this, we can help tackle shared challenges that individual employers may find harder to address alone.  

For employers, these conversations offer a chance to look beyond a CV and identify the enthusiasm and people skills that are so important in hospitality. For candidates, they provide a direct route to meet prospective employers and take their first steps into a new role.  

Recently, we joined forces with Westminster City Council, the Department for Work and Pensions, Grosvenor and Shaftesbury Capital to deliver the eighth Made in Central London event, bringing West End employers together with potential applicants.  

The event welcomed 20 employers, including 12 hospitality businesses as varied as San Carlo, Jul’s, Ole & Steen and Clays. A total of 681 candidates attended, with 1,813 interviews held. This led to 28 job offers on the day, while a further 407 candidates progressed to second-stage interviews.  

Building a stronger West End together 

As the West End looks ahead to further growth, investing in its people is also an investment in its places. Like all destinations, it relies on businesses working together to create experiences that encourage visitors to stay longer and return, making access to talent a shared priority. 

By bringing employers and candidates together, we can help our customers find the talent they need while opening up opportunities for work in one of London’s most exciting destinations.