The Conservative candidate for London's mayor, Boris Johnson, got behind the bar of JD Wetherspoon pub the Furze Wren in Bexleyheath, south-east London, for a spot of unashamed publicity last week - while the combination of the Conservatives and Wetherspoon may be unpalatable for some which candidate will be the best for hospitality?
Ten candidates are running for London's mayor including Labour incumbent Ken Livingstone and the Liberal Democrat candidate Brian Paddick. It's a vital position for hospitality operators in London: being Mayor of London means you are responsible for economic development and wealth creation in the Capital. It will be a vital four years for all hospitality operators in the Capital as we run up to the Olympic Games in 2012. London is the economic heartbeat for hospitality in the UK and a vital employer of Londoners but yet none of the three main party candidates outline how they will help this industry grow in their manifestos.
One issue on the agenda will be the Living Wage. All hospitality employers know that National Minimum Wage is currently £5.53 per hour (rising to £5.73 in October) and sometimes some employees receive less than that. Current Mayor Livingstone has backed proposals for a London Living Wage of £7.20, reflecting the higher costs of living in the Capital, alongside Green Party candidate Sian Berry. If such a policy is introduced it will have a massive impact on both hospitality employers and the life of hospitality employees.
Caterer is looking into this issue closely. So visit Caterersearch regularly to keep up with all the mayoral election news that matters to you.
updated 10/04/08: I told you there would be developments. Suprisingly four candidates, including Livingstone, Johnson and Paddick, all promised last night to ensure that London's hotels and hospitality employers pay a Living Wage.
