Devon millionaire turns pot washer in staff shortage

A millionaire businessman has been washing dishes and joining waiters at his exclusive island hotel amid staff shortages in the hospitality industry.

Giles Fuchs, 56, rolled his sleeves up in the kitchen of the Burgh Island Hotel in Devon.

It comes as hotels and pubs in south Devon are offering £250 to £1,000 join-up bonuses for new staff.

Trade organisation UK Hospitality said there was a shortage of 188,000 staff across the UK, a vacancy rate of 9%.

Mr Fuchs, co-owner of the hotel which was bought for £8.5m in 2018, said it was booked until November, but many former staff who had been furloughed in the pandemic had found jobs elsewhere.

He has spent two weekends helping out at the island hotel which inspired famous guest Agatha Christie.

"It's not that we cannot run a full service, it means the staff were working very long hours," he said.

"So I drove down to do that job that no-one wanted to do.

"I'm not fit enough, my back is murder."

Sean Creely, from The Manor House Inn in Croyde, has described the staffing shortage as "catastrophic" after having to shut his pub for three days during half-term.

The family-run business posted on social media: "The staff shortage problem in hospitality is real."

Jamie Rogers, head chef at Twenty Seven restaurant in Kingsbridge, Devon, still has two vacancies for a chef and a manager after offering a £1,000 joining up bonus three weeks ago.

"You have got to love this work, the hours are long and you are on your feet all day," he said.

Finding staff somewhere to live locally has been a "nightmare", he said with the cost of accommodation pushed higher by a greater interest in the region since the Covid-19 pandemic.

In Salcombe, where the average house price is £950,325 according to a Halifax survey, the Victoria Inn is offering a £500 bonus for new starters, as well as free paddleboard hire.

It is among cash incentives, travel bonuses and retention bonuses offered by owners St Austell Brewery.

And the Pandora Inn near Falmouth in Cornwall, has reduced the number of hours it offers a full food menu.

"There's been such an exodus from the industry, we just can't get any chefs," said co-owner Steve Bellman.

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UK Hospitality, said: "With structured training you can get from entry level to restaurant management within about 18 months.

"If you've got the aptitude, there are jobs at management levels for £59,000-60,000 for many of these people."

A spokesperson for the government said it was working with UK Hospitality "to better promote jobs" in hospitality via Jobcentres.

It was also supporting workers through the Kickstart scheme, which provides funding to employers to create jobs for 16 to 24-year-olds on Universal Credit, as well as "expanded apprenticeship and traineeship offers".

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