If Rising Costs Are Keeping You Awake at Night, Please Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late
I’ve been thinking a lot about the next phase our industry is heading into, not just the here and now, but what’s coming as we move toward the first and second quarter of 2026.
Because if I’m being completely honest, the pressure is building again. Quietly. Relentlessly. And for a lot of hospitality businesses, the cracks are already starting to show.
Over the Christmas period alone, I watched four venues I follow closely on social media announce their closures.
One nightclub.
One restaurant.
One bar.
One hotel.
Different models. Different locations. Different audiences.
But the same reason given every time: rising costs.
And I won’t pretend that didn’t hit hard.
This Isn’t About Poor Businesses — It’s About Growing Pressure
What struck me wasn’t shock, sadly, closures aren’t shocking anymore.
It was the familiarity of the language.
Rising wage costs.
Increasing supplier prices.
Energy.
Compliance.
Reduced margin for error.
No room left to absorb another hit.
These weren’t badly run businesses. These were places with loyal customers, recognisable brands, and teams who cared. But somewhere along the line, the pressure became too much to carry alone.
And here’s the part I can’t stop thinking about:
If even one of those venues had reached out six weeks earlier, there’s a genuine chance we could have helped change the outcome.
Not guaranteed. Not miracles.
But options. Clarity. Breathing room.
Waiting Until Crisis Removes Choice
This is the bit that matters most.
When a business reaches the point of announcing closure, the room to manoeuvre is almost gone. Decisions are rushed. Emotions are high. Energy is drained. And the ability to make calm, strategic changes is severely limited.
When people reach out earlier, before it feels desperate, everything changes.
There’s time to:
- review cost structures properly
- assess staffing and HR pressure points
- tighten compliance and avoid unnecessary exposure
- support leadership before burnout kicks in
- plan rather than react
The difference between asking for support early and asking for it late is often the difference between recovery and resignation.
Looking Ahead to 2026, This Pressure Isn’t Going Away
As we move closer to Q1 2026, businesses are already bracing for further increases; wages, regulatory changes, operating costs that continue to rise while customer tolerance for price increases tightens.
I’m seeing it across the board.
And I want to be very clear about something:
feeling the pressure does not mean you’re failing.
It means you’re operating in one of the toughest environments hospitality has ever faced.
But pretending it might ease on its own?
That’s the real risk.
From a Personal Place
What stays with me most about those four closure announcements isn’t the headlines but it’s the people behind them.
The owners who poured everything into their businesses, the teams who lost their place of work, the communities who lost familiar spaces.
Hospitality closures don’t just shut doors. They ripple outward.
That’s why I care so deeply about encouraging conversations before things reach breaking point. Not because The Fresh Group has all the answers but because no one should feel like silence is their only option.
How We Can Help — If You Reach Out in Time
The Fresh Group works with hospitality businesses to help manage and reduce the impact of rising costs through:
- operational review and efficiency
- HR and people structure support
- compliance clarity and risk reduction
- leadership and management support
- practical, realistic planning for what’s ahead
And yes, this does help with costs. Often significantly.
But it works best when there’s still time to act.
We are not expensive.
We are practical.
And we are here to support businesses through difficult periods, not just at the start, and not just when things feel comfortable.
A Call to Action That Comes From Concern, Not Sales
If rising costs are already on your mind and if you’re quietly worrying about what the next year might bring don’t wait.
Reach out now.
Have the conversation early.
Give yourself options.
Even a discussion can bring perspective, reassurance, or a clear next step.
Because once a closure announcement is written, the choices narrow fast.
Final Thought
Seeing four hospitality venues close over New Year is a sobering reminder of how fragile this industry has become and how strong it still is, when supported properly.
If you’re reading this and thinking, “We’re feeling that pressure too,” please know you’re not alone.
But don’t carry it in silence.
The earlier the conversation starts, the more we can do and the better the chance of keeping great hospitality businesses open, profitable, and part of the future we all want to build.
