Crippling half-term rail strikes set to cost £100million to suffering pubs and restaurants in lost sales

CRIPPLING half-term train strikes will cost pubs and restaurants £100million in lost sales this week.

Drivers and crew are walking out again on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday — heaping more misery on families hoping to head to the beach during the school holiday.

And strikes will disrupt thousands of Manchester fans heading to the FA Cup final at Wembley this Saturday.

Pubs have already seen a slew of cancellations.

UK Hospitality, which represents pubs, clubs and restaurants, said this week will cost the industry an estimated £100million in lost takings.

Strike misery has no end in sight as union members have voted for another six months of action.

A nine per cent pay deal was rejected by hardline RMT bosses, without putting it to their members.

Kate Nicholls, CEO of UK ­Hospitality, said: “The impact on our industry has been devastating. ­Families who would usually hop on a train to the beach, or see family and friends around the country, are staying home.

“They are too anxious to book getaways because of the strikes.

“This takes its toll. Our members are losing out on vital business.”

It comes as Health Secretary Steve Barclay hit out at demands from the junior doctors’ unions for him to return to talks about their 35 per cent pay rise demands.

Mr Barclay insisted it was not “legally possible” to give everyone the different grades of pay rises the unions are demanding — and said they were being unreasonable by refusing to budge.

Junior doctors are set to walk out for 72 hours from June 14 to 17 — the third time they have taken industrial action this year.