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Hospitality Action launches emergency fund

UK charity Hospitality Action has teamed up with cashless tipping platform Tipjar to raise money for on-trade workers as coronavirus takes its toll on the industry.

Hospitality Action and Tipjar have launched the Hospitality Workers Emergency Fund

The fundraising push has launched as many UK workers in bars, pubs and restaurants lose their jobs amid the covid-19 outbreak.

Earlier this week, UK prime minister Boris Johnson told the British public to avoid pubs, clubs and social venues in a bid to mitigate the impact of coronavirus.

On Tuesday evening (17 March), UK chancellor Rishi Sunak guaranteed a £330 billion (US$398bn) package of loans and grants to help businesses during the coronavirus outbreak – and assured that firms would be able to claim against insurance policies over pandemic losses. However, these measures are not expected to come into effect until next week at the earliest.

UK Hospitality has warned more than one million jobs could be lost this week without immediate government support.

The Hospitality Workers Emergency Fund allows people to donate directly to industry workers in need in their local area.

Fundraising packs will also be available to download to allow people to raise awareness in their area. People can request their own town or city to have their own page or request a donation page to be set up for their specific pub or bar, allowing proceeds to go to the venue staff directly.

“This industry built so many of us, we wanted to do what we could to help in return, and we had access to the technology to do so,” said James Brown, founder of Tipjar and retail director at BrewDog.

“We have partnered with Hospitality Action and have built a platform for businesses and communities to donate funds for workers in their city, town or if they want to for raise money for staff in their specific local pub they can apply to do so.”

To donate, download a fundraising pack or apply for a grant, visit wearetipjar.com/emergency-fund.

Industry charity The Drinks Trust, formerly known as The Benevolent, has also launched a new campaign to raise money to support the sector in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak.

To help on-trade employees who are currently out of work, UK grocery chain Co-op is offering 5,000 positions across its 2,600-strong stores.

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