“Crisis” in hospitality industry due to Brexit

Ilkley-based online training provider, High Speed Training, has issued an urgent appeal to the UK hospitality industry as new research reveals the extent of the looming problem.

The findings of the nationwide study, involving hospitality business owners and managers across the UK, has revealed that 97 per cent are expecting to experience a shortage of labour as a result of hard Brexit. One in six have said that the UK does not have the workforce available to fill the shortfall.

The research is part of High Speed Training’s new campaign which sets out to champion careers in hospitality and help to address the gap. It urges businesses in the industry, education providers, parents and the government to consider opportunities for showcasing professional prestige in the industry and ways to encourage more people to apply for roles and pursue longer term career paths.

The findings are taken from a new industry report, Preserving the Art of Hospitality: Championing the Industry for Post-Brexit Survival.

Dr. Richard Anderson, head of learning and development at High Speed Training, said: “Hospitality has the largest staff shortfall of all UK sectors and a widening skills gap – including a declining number of catering college students and ‘home-grown’ qualified recruits.

“Brexit is accelerating this labour shortage due to the industry’s strong reliance on migrant workers. The Home Office has signalled that EU freedom of movement would end immediately in a no-deal scenario, and the exacerbation effect of this on already challenging conditions has been the focus of debate within the sector.

“Businesses need contingency plans that consider how the service currently being delivered can be maintained to ensure any negative impacts to the bottom line are minimised. Our report details ways in which the industry can be proactive and do everything it can to boost skills and drive forward recruitment and retention.