I live in Derbyshire 🙈🤣 £4.40 for our core (Amstel) lager.
We do increase pay as staff members become more experienced, we also pay a little above minimum to begin with. Or at least we traditionally have done, we may have to change that in the future, but I digress. Lots of places aren't in a position to, they pay minimum wage and that's that, it's how they keep their prices competitive.
Either way, if that gap between youngsters and experienced adults gets much closer, I absolutely will be looking more at experienced members of staff for roles I'd have been hiring youngsters for. You see, it works both ways, youngsters take these jobs as stop gaps, for a bit of extra money whilst they're still in uni or living with parents. We know they're not sticking around, and they know it too, it's not a career choice. It's still worth investing that time and money into training them, if only for a year or two before they move onto their actual chosen career path, because they cost less in wages. With no pay gap, why invest time and money training somebody who will be gone in a year or two?
I absolutely, 100% agree with your final comment. I think we still have some way to go even after April. But the point I'm making is that people have to know this will mean higher prices at the tills, the money has to come from somewhere.
With a turnover of 500k, we lost 30k last year, there's no way we're swallowing these additional payroll expenses, the customer will be, and then some, sadly. At what price point will people just stop coming to the pub? It's a massive concern. 😞