BRITAIN'S hospitality sector faces a "bloodbath" unless the UK Government's financial support is extended to protect firms from mounting rental debts, the industry's trade body has said.

Kate Nicholls, the UK Hospitality Chief Executive, told MPs the moratorium on evictions must be extended to give a breathing space of "six to nine months".

During a virtual session of the Commons Treasury Committee, she said: "If we don't get a resolution at a global level, if you rely on landlords and lessees to sort it out individually themselves, it would be a bloodbath come June when we have the next quarter rent that becomes due.

"If we don't get that intervention on rent, if we are forced to remain closed until Christmas, then I think you could put a third of the sector at risk," she added.