In this episode, Timothy R Andrews sits down with operator and campaigner Andy Lennox in the Old Thatch pub in Dorset to talk about what’s really happening behind the scenes in hospitality right now. Andy shares his journey from building Co-Tai into a multi-site business (and the reality of private equity ownership), to launching Nusara, and growing a pub portfolio in a market that keeps getting tougher.

The conversation moves quickly from business story to industry survival. Andy explains why the sector is “busy but broke”: rising utilities, rent pressure, business rates shocks, and margins shrinking to the point where reinvestment becomes impossible. He unpacks the Wonky Table campaign, why the “no Labour MPs” sticker spread, and how press, trade bodies and political pressure combine when an industry finally decides it’s had enough.

It’s a practical, blunt, and sometimes controversial discussion about tax reform, VAT, business rates, and why hospitality needs to get better at explaining its economic importance — and the consequences when it isn’t heard.

This episode explores what actually makes apprenticeships successful in hospitality — and why commitment from employers matters more than funding or frameworks.

Timothy R Andrews and Joe McDonnell are joined by Neil Gander and Lucy Grant-Evans from Electric Mayonnaise, who share their experience of delivering apprenticeships as part of a wider learning and development approach.

The conversation looks at why apprenticeships fail when they’re treated as a tick-box exercise, how over-promotion creates leadership gaps, and why many managers are expected to lead teams without ever being taught how. Neil and Lucy explain why taking training into the business, using project-based learning, and genuinely supporting learners leads to better outcomes for both people and organisations.

This is a practical episode for hospitality employers who want apprenticeships to improve retention, build stronger leaders, and protect their employer brand.

In this episode, we discuss:

1. What makes apprenticeships succeed in hospitality
2. Why employer commitment is the deciding factor
3. Apprenticeships as part of a wider L&D strategy
4. Over-promotion and leadership without training
5. Supporting learners beyond “free training”
6. Project-based learning that adds real business value
7. Apprenticeships for managers, not just new starters
8. Reducing stigma around the word “apprenticeship”

Takeaways

1. Apprenticeships succeed when employers stay involved
2. Learners need support, not just enrolment.
3. Funding doesn’t replace leadership
4. Even fully funded programmes fail without day-to-day encouragement.
5. Many hospitality managers are promoted without training
6. Apprenticeships help close critical leadership gaps.
7. Learning works best inside the business
8. On-site workshops and real projects drive better results.
9. A failed apprenticeship damages employer brand
10. Broken promises lead to disengagement and turnover.
11. Reframing apprenticeships removes resistance
12. Positioning them as development programmes increases buy-in.

Links referenced in this episode:

This episode explores why hospitality continues to lose people, skills and funding — and what can actually be done about it. Timothy R Andrews is joined by Vicky Glover, Founder of Appetite 4 Apprenticeships, for a clear, practical conversation about apprenticeships, retention and the realities facing hospitality employers.

Vicky explains how the apprenticeship levy works, why billions of pounds go unused every year, and how large organisations can legally gift funding to SMEs that desperately need training support. The discussion covers why 43% of hospitality workers leave within their first three months, how poor onboarding damages the industry’s reputation, and why apprenticeships are often misunderstood or badly implemented.

The episode also looks at social mobility, diversity and long-term career progression — challenging the idea that apprenticeships are only for entry-level roles. From sole traders to multi-site operators, this conversation breaks down how apprenticeships can be used to retain people, reduce costs, and build stronger teams when budgets are under pressure.

This is a practical episode for owners, operators and leaders who want their people to stay — but aren’t sure where to start.

In this episode, we discuss:

1. Why £3.3bn in apprenticeship funding goes back to government unused
2. How the apprenticeship levy actually works
3. Why 43% of hospitality workers leave within three months
4. Apprenticeships as a retention and engagement tool
5. Gifting levy funding from large businesses to SMEs
6. Choosing the right training provider for your operation
7. Apprenticeships for existing staff, not just new starters
8. Cost savings, National Insurance relief and funding benefits
9. Social mobility and widening access to hospitality careers
10. Why onboarding is as important as guest experience

Takeaways:

1. Hospitality is losing people early — and fast
2. 43% of workers leave within three months, often due to poor onboarding and lack of development.
3. Billions in training funding go unused
4. Apprenticeship levy money expires if it isn’t spent — and most businesses don’t realise it.
5. Apprenticeships aren’t just for school leavers
6. They work for supervisors, managers and existing team members at every level.
7. SMEs can access levy funding they don’t pay into
8. Large organisations can gift unused levy to smaller operators.