Hospitality ‘struggling to fill thousands of jobs’

Hospitality venues are struggling to fill thousands of job vacancies, according to an industry body.

Waiting staff and chefs are in particular demand as Covid-19 restrictions continue to ease, UK Hospitality said.

It called on the government to stick to its plan to lift all Covid restrictions in England on 21 June.

The government said it was “doing everything we can to support hospitality”.

The sector has been has been hit hard by the pandemic, and is also facing shortages due to Brexit, the trade body said. But even before those restrictions lifted, hospitality venues were struggling to find staff.

UK Hospitality said there was currently a shortfall of about 188,000 workers, with the shortage of front-of-house staff and chefs being “particularly acute”.

Under the government’s roadmap out of lockdown, all coronavirus restrictions in England could be lifted on 21 June. But in recent days ministers, including Boris Johnson, have warned that could be delayed by an increase in the number of cases of the Indian variant.

“The government must restore confidence in the hospitality sector so that it is again seen as a stable employer and provider of fulfilling careers,” said Kate Nicholls, the chief executive of UK Hospitality.

“To facilitate this, it must stick to the re-opening roadmap, lifting all restrictions from 21 June. This will restore consumer confidence and give a strong signal to workers that hospitality will bounce back strongly.”

Many hospitality businesses have struggled during the pandemic despite extensive government support, including rates holidays and the furlough scheme.

Many hospitality staff have been laid off during the pandemic. -BBC