Coronavirus: Hospo Live keeps furloughed hospitality workers connected

Hospo Live, a free Facebook Live stream created to upskill, inspire and connect furloughed workers during the Coronavirus pandemic, has gone worldwide, reaching over 200,000 people in 51 countries, since its launch last week.

The stream, which was launched by Think Hospitality and Flow Hospitality, with the support of Fleet Street Communications, covers a number of key areas, including health, wellness, hospitality training and live cooking segments, clearly demonstrates the resourceful and collaborative nature of the hospitality industry, as it faces down the biggest challenge it has ever faced.

James Hacon, Chief Executive at Think Hospitality commented: “Hospitality is an incredibly resourceful industry that is inundated with quality, talented people. We started this stream so that we could engage this smart, erudite community, whilst many were furloughed. What the figures clearly show is that the challenge we face is not unique to the UK, but one that spans across the globe. Social media is an incredibly powerful tool, allowing us to reach out and engage tens of thousands of people directly. We very much see this as the future, the launch of hospitality’s own dedicated TV channel, if you will.”

The channel, which runs from 8.30-17.00, boasts an impressive and diverse content line-up spanning all sectors and roles within the hospitality industry, including tutorials and guidance from celebrities, industry icons and wellness professionals. Elly Johnston, Director of Flow Hospitality adds “We’re determined to continue doing our bit to promote positive mental health and use this period to upskill employees and share best practice. Isolation can have a detrimental impact on mental health, particularly when there is nothing for people to engage with, so we’re very much hoping Hospo Live is capturing people’s mind and imaginations during this down period, which will translate to better concepts, ideas and customer experiences when the industry relaunches.”

HospoLive is broadcast Monday-Friday through Facebook Live. Other guests confirmed to appear are Chef Asma Khan, of Netflix Chef’s Table fame; Nordic pioneer Claus Meyer; Guardian food writer, Felicity Cloake; and Financial Times Restaurant Critic, Nicholas Lander.