Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality Jobs Fair in Macclesfield
Meet Pre-Trained Lapland UK Candidates and Hire Faster in 2026 If you recruit in tourism, leisure or hospitality you already know the problem is rarely “a lack of interest” and far more often “drop-off” and delays between first contact and a completed application. With hospitality accounting for millions of UK jobs and ongoing churn across customer-facing roles, anything that shortens time-to-hire and improves application completion rates is worth taking seriously. That is exactly the point of a dedicated jobs fair being delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), National Careers Service and Cheshire East Council, in partnership with Marketing Cheshire, on Wednesday 4 February 2026 at Macclesfield Town Hall.
It is designed to connect Cheshire and Warrington employers with jobseekers who have just completed seasonal customer service roles at Lapland UK at Capesthorne Hall and are now looking for their next role in tourism, leisure, hospitality or customer service.
Table of contents:
1) What the event is and who it is for
2) Why these candidates are different
3) The “Help to Apply” support and why it matters
4) What roles you can recruit for
5) How to prepare so you get hires not just chats
6) Event details and how to register.
1) What the event is and who it is for: This is a free-to-attend employer recruitment event for businesses across Cheshire and Warrington that need customer-facing people, whether that is front-of-house, ticketing, visitor experience, accommodation, events, retail, food service, attractions, leisure centres, venues or any operational role where attitude, reliability and guest experience matter. You will meet candidates face-to-face, explain your roles properly, and spot the difference between someone who “fancies a job” and someone who is ready to start work and represent your brand. The event also welcomes other motivated jobseekers so you are not restricted to one talent pool, but the Lapland UK cohort is a key highlight because they are coming off a structured seasonal operation and are actively seeking their next step.
2) Why these candidates are different: Seasonal operations that deliver high footfall experiences do not survive on luck. They train people to follow standards, communicate well under pressure, stay upbeat with customers, and handle busy periods without the wheels coming off. The jobseekers you can meet at this fair have completed customer service roles at Lapland UK at Capesthorne Hall, and the organisers state they have received professional training and accreditation in hospitality-focused customer service, alongside additional qualifications including food hygiene. In plain English, you are not starting from scratch with “what does great service look like”, you are meeting people who have been working in a customer-led environment and are already conditioned to pace, presentation and guest expectations.
3) The “Help to Apply” support and why it matters: The smartest part of this event is not just that it introduces you to candidates, it removes the biggest bottleneck in entry-level recruitment: the application that never gets finished. Independent research and industry commentary repeatedly show that long or complex processes cause major abandonment, with studies commonly citing around 60% dropping out when applications are too time-consuming or rigid, and other reporting suggesting many applicants will walk away if it takes longer than about 15 minutes. The fair tackles this head-on through the DWP and National Careers Service “Help to Apply” support, including on-the-spot 1-to-1 help to complete applications during the fair, follow-on booked support at job centres for more complex applications, interview preparation, and wider careers guidance and upskilling options. The practical outcome for employers is simple: fewer “good conversations” that go nowhere, and more completed applications that actually land in your inbox ready for interview.
4) What roles you can recruit for: Think beyond “hospitality” as a narrow label. If your business relies on people who can welcome, guide, sell, solve problems, follow processes and represent your customer experience then you will find relevant candidates here. Typical roles include guest services and visitor experience, front desk and reception, waiting staff and bar roles, café teams, catering support, retail and admissions, events and venue staff, activity leaders, housekeeping, bookings and customer contact centre roles, and seasonal peaks such as spring and summer visitor demand. If you are hiring for both permanent and seasonal vacancies, this is a strong opportunity to pipeline candidates now rather than scrambling later when everyone else is recruiting at the same time.
5) How to prepare so you get hires not just chats: To get maximum value, arrive with clarity and speed. First, bring a short list of your live roles with pay range, hours, location, start dates, and what “good” looks like in the first 30 days. Second, simplify your application route for the day: a QR code to the vacancy, a one-page handout, or a short URL, and make sure it works on mobile. Third, decide your next-step process before you arrive: what triggers an interview, who books it, and what you need from the candidate (right to work, availability, experience, references). Fourth, prepare a 20 second “why work here” pitch that is honest and specific: what makes your place a good employer, what training you provide, what progression looks like, and what a great shift feels like. Fifth, be ready to make decisions fast. The businesses that win at events like this are the ones who book interviews within 48 hours and follow through.
6) Event details and how to register:
Date: Wednesday 4 February 2026.
Employer set-up: 9:00am.
Jobseeker hours: 10:00am to 3:00pm.
Location: Macclesfield Town Hall. Cost: no charge for businesses to attend.
How to secure your place: email [email protected] to register your interest.
Final thought: Cheshire and Warrington’s visitor economy depends on great people delivering great experiences. This fair is a practical way to strengthen your workforce, reduce recruitment time and costs, and convert interest into real applications with support on the day from DWP and the National Careers Service. If you have vacancies coming up for 2026, register now and turn one morning of recruitment into a pipeline of ready-to-work candidates.
