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The Bristol Hoteliers Association (BHA) is urging the government to relax some of the post-Brexit rules, which have hindered their ability to recruit in recent years.
This comes as it says a combination of Brexit and the pandemic have caused “huge” problems for the UK hospitality industry, which has traditionally drawn heavily upon European workers to fill roles at hotels, pubs and restaurants.
Prior to Brexit, it’s estimated that the sector employed more than 400,000 EU workers, while today they only make up 28% of the total workforce. This is compared to 42% pre-pandemic.
With Chancellor Jeremy Hunt due to deliver his budget on 15 March, hoteliers are urging him to give them the power to boost the recovery of their businesses by being able to recruit the staff they need.
Raphael Herzog, chair of BHA, said: “The past few years have been extremely challenging for the hospitality sector and there are still some huge difficulties to overcome. Brexit, the pandemic and now the cost-of-living crisis, particularly in terms of energy prices, have created the perfect storm.
“One of the biggest issues for us remains recruitment in some key areas of our businesses, such as chefs, food and beverage staff, room attendants and so on, which is why we think it is time for the Government to look at relaxing some of the Brexit rules.”
He added: “This will help not only hotels and other hospitality providers, but many other sectors which have also been struggling with staff shortages, to help get Britain’s businesses back on their feet.”
