UK's hotels reach out to local communities

In light of the most recent shutdown measures issued by the government to try and prevent the spread of Covid-19, staff at the hotels have tried to help locally by offering out what is now excess food supplies.

Hotels have been redistributing perishable foods where possible, following Bespoke Hotels “issuing an imperative for properties to support their regions and those most in need”.

Actions being taken include supplying an afternoon tea using surplus foods at the local Campden Nursing Home, organised by Cotswold House, which also arranged to donate its perishable vegetable supplies to locals who are sick or undergoing hospital treatments at home, the local shelter house for vulnerable adults and a local school.

The Lyndene Hotel in Blackpool is donating supplies to its local soup kitchen, Amazing Graze, which supports the local homeless community, and ensures people who are self-isolating receive a home-cooked meal. Ennerdale Hotel in Cumbria has donated its perishable foods and some cleaning supplies to a neighbouring care home.

Oddfellows Chester has also organised an afternoon tea for a local care home, while Branston Hall Hotel in Lincoln donated a car load of surplus foods to the local care home, and the Green Dragon Hotel in Hereford is donating perishable foods to its local food bank (one of the few able to accept perishable goods).

“Given the current circumstances, we cannot let our food and beverage go to waste without helping those in need,” said Robin Sheppard, chief executive of Bespoke Hotels. “We have an active community and local charities in each region – we must work together and be kind to one another during these unprecedented times.”

Meanwhile BusinessWaste.co.uk, a UK waste collection company, has urged hotels and restaurants to see how their supplies can be utilised as an untapped resource, as supermarkets struggle to keep up with demand.

“Surely hospitality businesses need to be making this food available to the public, otherwise much of it will go out of date and end up in the bin, which would be such a waste,” said company spokesperson Mark Hall.