Brighton pubs and restaurants say train strikes affect Christmas trade

As walkouts by the RMT continue to impact rail services across the country, retail businesses in Brighton say that they are seeing less custom due to strikes alongside the cost of living crisis.

While businesses say that they are facing a tough start to the new year, owners are calling for fair pay for rail workers in order to end the strikes and the impact they are having on Brighton’s night-time economy.

The Quadrant pub in North Street

John Purchese, manager at The Quadrant Pub in North Street, said: “The rail strikes are definitely having impact on town centre pubs, from Brighton games being cancelled to weekend trippers.

“We lose around 25-30% of our expected weekly revenue every time there’s a strike.

“With what will be a really hard start to the New Year we need these festive weeks to take the weight of that to even it all out.

John added that he thought government mismanagement was the cause for the troubles and said that rail unions such as the RMT were not at fault and backed the strike action.

Rail unions have been striking across the Christmas period in a dispute over pay as inflation continues to soar.

RMT union members walked out on December 13, 14, 16 and 17, last week and plans for more action are slated from Christmas Eve to December 27.​

Food for Friends in Prince Albert Street, Brighton (Image: Newsquest)

Tim Greaves, manager at Food for Friends in Prince Albert Street, said that the restaurant had seen fewer booking over the usually busy Christmas period. He thought that businesses were being more cautious with how they spend their money, and as such less Christmas parties were being held.

He added: “Christmas bookings are being more cautious with the money they are willing to spend.

• READ MORE: Full list of strikes taking place in the UK this weekend

“That might be down to cold weather or the cost of living but also the train strikes.”

Other businesses that have been affected by the strikes include nightclubs, which benefit from customers travelling by train to reach the city.

PRYZM in Brighton say they have been affected by train strikes

Danny Head, venue manager at PRYZM in Brighton, said: “The strikes have definitely impacted footfall in Brighton but thankfully we’re on track to deliver another full house New Year’s Eve, which is our busiest night of the year.”

Brighton station was earlier seen nearly deserted as trains were not running to the railway station due to this week’ strikes.

Walkouts by rail staff are the latest in a number of strikes taking place by several unions across the region.

As well as industrial action by the RMT union, postal workers at Royal Mail have also been on strike in a dispute over pay.

Nurses from the Royal College of Nursing are also currently on strike in a dispute over public sector pay and patient safety in the first walk out in their history.