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New Forest restaurants hit by staff recruitment woes

BBC John CromptonBBC
John Crompton said Spot in the Woods had been 'super-busy'.

Hospitality businesses are "struggling" to recruit staff despite a visitor influx, New Forest restaurateurs have claimed.

The Spot in the Woods restaurant in Ashurst in the national park has suspended lunch and dinner service, blaming Brexit and the pandemic.

There are thought to be more than 180,000 vacancies in the UK hospitality sector.

The government has said it is doing "all it can" to help the industry.

Many New Forest hospitality businesses are expecting a bumper staycation summer with a surge of visitors to the national park.

Director John Crompton said he closed Spot in the Woods for lunch and dinner, despite it being "super-busy" serving up to 150 covers a day.

It means the restaurant is now only catering for its B&B clients.

'Can't deliver'

"That decision is just horrific to have to make.

"Brexit has been very damaging to us. Seasonal staff specifically would make up a huge amount of our workforce.

"We've had a lot of people diversify and do delivery driving and construction.

"There's been a real struggle to recruit anybody, specifically chefs and front-of-house people.

"We just can't deliver the levels of service people want - you end up getting complaints and staff become demoralised."

Ruth Passarelli, owner of La Pergola in Lyndhurst
Ruth Passarelli said she was considering closing her restaurant two or three days a week because of a lack of staff

Ruth Passarelli, owner of La Pergola restaurant in Lyndhurst, said it was "absolutely impossible" to recruit staff and she was considering closing for several days a week.

"I've been advertising for two months and nobody is responding.

"A lot of our Italian workers have gone home and can't get back," she said.

Trade body UK Hospitality said there was currently a shortfall of about 188,000 workers nationwide.

Kate Shoesmith, of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation said: "We've seen permanent job placements in the south at their highest since 2014.

"Hospitality is in particularly high demand because of the opening up again."

The government said the immigration system attracts the "best and brightest talent" and it was doing "everything it can to support hospitality to recover".