Hospitality recruiters have noted an upturn in recruitment following a staffing freeze blighting the sector in the first quarter of the year.

Hannah Horler, managing director at Cartwheel Management Recruitment, told Recruiter: “January has definitely been a much slower start to the year than previous years. It is probably now, getting into March, that the market has picked up and there’s quite a bit more going on.

“There was such uncertainty that companies had blanket freezes. I kept in touch with a lot of competitors and they saw the same. I think people have now worked their way through.”

Nina Johnson-Bennett, managing director at Management Search Executive, adds: “The first quarter of the year was going to be a no-go area but we are now seeing opportunities come in.

“I am talking globally not just in the UK. There are reasons to be cheerful. We have found our clients are looking forward to quarter three for the senior assignments and starting now.”