ScotRail unveil almost £1 million on-train hospitality recruitment drive

Credit: ScotRail

ScotRail has unveiled plans to invest £918,000 on a hospitality recruitment drive, as the train operator confirms the reintroduction of its on-board food and drink service. The train operator is set to recruit 29 new on-train hospitality stewards as part of its plans to reintroduce and improve the food and drink offering on board trains across the ScotRail network.

From 4 April 2022, ScotRail started to re-introduce its on-board food and drink service on a limited number of Inter7City, for example, Aberdeen to Edinburgh, Far North Line, and Kyle of Lochalsh Line services on top of the West Highland Line services which are already catered for. The number of services with food and drink available will increase as new recruits complete their training. In the meantime, customers can check which services are planned to have a hospitality service on board on the ScotRail website, while Customer Information Screens in stations also display details of which trains have food and drink available.

The train operator suspended on-train hospitality in 2020 following strict essential travel only guidance. This led to a significant reduction in passenger numbers and revenue, and although customers are gradually return to the railway, passenger numbers during the week remain well below pre-pandemic levels. During this time, ScotRail’s hospitality team was redeployed to assist other areas of the business, such as focussing on touch-point cleaning on trains and in stations.

Such was the uncertainty during the pandemic that many team members moved on to new permanent or fixed-terms roles within the railway, and all agency employees left the business. This uncertainty also meant that ScotRail could not actively recruit new staff members until now.

“I am thrilled that we are now beginning to reintroduce our food and drink offering on board our trains, it is another step forward on the road to recovery as we continue to welcome more customers back to Scotland’s Railway,” Lesley Kane, Commercial Director for ScotRail, said. “Our Modern Apprenticeship offers young people across Scotland the opportunity to earn while they learn valuable skills and gain experience that will stand them in good stead for the future. This near £1 million recruitment drive shows our commitment to supporting the country’s recovery and helping the economy grow.”