Sandwich shop owner tells how driver crisis is hitting custom
A SANDWICH shop owner says he feels like he has a “second job” trying to get food supplies in as his business has been hit by the national crisis of driver shortages.
Dil Singh runs the Stottie Shop in Hinckley town centre, which takes large orders from businesses in the area for hot and cold cobs and other breakfast and lunch items.
The past five weeks the shop has seen its daily deliveries greatly reduced in size, particularly for bacon, sausages and other meat, forcing Mr Singh to often go out himself in search of supplies while the orders come in at the shop.
His suppliers, who are based in Leicestershire, have told him that a lack of delivery drivers to bring the items to the local depots is causing the shortfall.
One day, Mr Singh didn’t receive any sausages on the daily delivery, rather than the usual four bags, so he had to go to a Cash and Carry in Leicester, meaning his staff were two hours late in starting to cook the meat.
He said: “Customers are saying, if it’s going to be that long, why didn’t you tell us?
“But it’s difficult - if we take a big order, I will be running around Leicester trying to get supplies.
“The biggest thing is our regulars,
It’s difficult - if we take a big order, I will be running around Leicester trying to get supplies. Stottie Shop’s Dil Singh
having to upset them, people who come in here every day.
“They want a bacon cob or they will go somewhere else. “We’re quite stressed, there’s a lot of pressure mentally, job satisfaction isn’t what it used to be.
“I don’t want my staff to feel pressure.
“We’re paying more for the same product but we’re losing customers.”
The owner said he thinks the Government
should explore whatever avenues are available to try and address the problem, including bringing in the Army to help with deliveries or fast-tracking visas to allow drivers from other countries to come work in the UK.