HOSPITALITY ULSTER

Bending ears at the Sinn Féin ARD FHEIS in a Belfast today. @belfastsinnfein @sinnfeinireland

🤝 HU partner Claims Tec provides expert, independent insurance advice to assist you with your claim, guiding you from start to finish, acting on your behalf and always protecting your interests. Find out more and get in touch 👉 hospitalityulster.org/support/Accred…

A husband and wife have taken over a century-old Co Down pub as part of a six-figure investment. lnkd.in/eexypfbp

YOUR 3 MINUTE UPDATE HU supports Talking Really Helps campaign, new dates announced for Hospitality Management Training Programme, PSNI issue Ask For Angela survey 👉tinyurl.com/yckxzb8d

🚨Your Managers Can Make or Break Your Business In hospitality, it’s often not the food, drink or décor that determines success - it’s the people leading your teams. Managers are often promoted because they’re great at their job - perhaps a brilliant bartender or a standout server - but the step into leading people requires a different set of skills that many have never been supported to develop. Without the confidence and tools to lead people well, owners and GMs can end up carrying the weight of every decision. That’s exactly why the Hospitality Management Development Programme was created. Following the success of last year’s programme, O’Reilly People Management is running it again this April in Belfast. And the feedback from the last groups has been powerful. Managers described the programme as insightful, engaging, and eye-opening, with 90% saying they would recommend it to other managers. But the real impact showed up months later. Participants said they were… ✅ More confident making decisions, instead of constantly checking with the GM ✅ More comfortable having difficult conversations with staff ✅ Clearer about managing performance properly (without friendships getting in the way) ✅ Reassured they weren’t alone, in the challenges of management This two-day programme gives hospitality managers the space, practical tools and confidence to step fully into the role. 📅 Tuesday 14 April & Tuesday 21 April 📍 Belfast City Centre Places are limited to keep the sessions practical and interactive. If you have a manager - or someone with management potential - you’d like to invest in, get in touch with Jill O’Reilly to find out more or reserve a place. Get in touch here 👉 oreillypeoplemanagement.com/get-in-touch-1)

Hospitaity Ulster, part to the UKHospitality Group. The episode called ‘Living without life’s little luxuries’ shows clearly how costs like VAT, NICs and energy prices are making it more difficult for businesses to survive and create jobs, and for families to afford a treat. These are exactly the issues that UKHospitality has been campaigning for on your behalf, and we were strongly involved in shaping this programme to show the very real challenges you face.

Great to have the support of DfI Minister Liz Kimmins MLA at the launch of the Northern Ireland Connectivity Coalition The new Northern Ireland Connectivity Coalition has been formally launched at Stormont, bringing together key organisations from aviation, transport, hospitality, ports and business to prioritise improvements in how people travel to, from and around Northern Ireland. Hosted by Jim Fitzpatrick, the event included contributions from Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins, Colin Neill MBE and Suzanne Wylie, who each highlighted the economic impact of poor connectivity and the need for coordinated, long term investment. The Coalition will act as one unified voice to ensure connectivity becomes a strategic priority for the Executive and a driver of growth, tourism and competitiveness.

Sorcha Eastwood calls for VAT cut to save NI hospitality sector: 'It would have a positive impact on our pubs and allow them to breathe and grow' belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/sorch…

Belfast Telegraph… The cost of a pint... and why the money doesn't go into the pockets of publicans. Read more 👉 belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/the-cost-…

It's back, it's big and it's your opportunity to shine. Enter now @ Icnonline.co.uk enter-Icn-awards-2026/

It's a business you have to live and breathe: Meet the family keeping Ireland's oldest thatched pub alive belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/its-a-bus…

Questions asked in Parliament about NI Hospitality

In Parliament @JoePJRobertson raised the loss of 100,000 hospitality jobs since the 2024 Budget. Hospitality businesses are facing an existential threat on business rates and we need a sector-wide solution to save jobs, community hubs and our high street businesses.

Good to see support for hospitality - 10% VAT, 10% drop on alcohol duty, reform of business rates. Hospitality matters to high streets, communities and cultural life of the country

When people are the engine of your business and account for over half of overheads, this is what has been the game changer for hospitality. It is why business rates has distorted and it is why a VAT cut makes sense

🚨HU Statement as Minister of Finance halts Reval 2026 Read here 👉 tinyurl.com/yj3xtutf

The sector has no problem paying its way in a fair and reasonable manner, but this is not what is being asked of it. While LPS might say that it defines its formula on 'fair and maintainable trade', there is nothing fair or maintainable about rates bill increases of over 100%, 200%, and 300%. If action is not now taken by the Finance Minister John O'Dowd to address the crisis facing the hospitality industry, no action in response will be off the table. The hospitality sector is fighting for its life and that anger will be felt in the streets, in our pubs, restaurants, and hotels, and in the halls of Stormont. What ever action we deem necessary will be taken. Full statement 👉 mailchi.mp/hospitalityuls…

📈 2026 REVAL: “What ever action we deem necessary will be taken." Read here 👉 tinyurl.com/an43xj8s

The tax nightmare of business rates impacts more rhs. Just pubs - our restaurants and hotels are struggling too and a whole hospitality problem needs a whole hospitality solution bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

📈 RATES REVAL: "This will not stand - and we will not take no for an answer." Read more 👉 tinyurl.com/5n8rsky4