Hotel work is a ‘real job’, say catering bosses

HOTEL work is a “real job” and the Government must develop an industrial strategy to boost the sector postbrexit, leading figures in hospitality have urged.

The UK has a “Victorian” attitude and Upstairs, Downstairs view of chefs and hotel managers, which holds the industry back, according to John Campbell, founder of the Woodspeen restaurants.

“Brexit is going to be a big opportunity for us, certainly in London where we have all that new talent,” he said.

“But the bigger ticket item here is how much hospitality and leisure contributes to the economy. Because it sits in the background, maybe it isn’t taken as seriously but the Government needs to take action.”

John Bennett, the co-chief executive of Baxterstorey, the leading hospitality and catering business, agrees.

He said: “It is the fourth biggest sector in the UK but doesn’t seem to be high up in the Government’s priorities. It doesn’t appear to be part of any industrial strategy. In the past 20 years there has been a huge explosion in the amount of restaurants – but they don’t see it as an important career.”

A source from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy told The Daily Telegraph it is working on a hospitality strategy for post-brexit, but confirmed that there is not one yet.

According to analysis by KPMG, a quarter of workers are from the EU.

Mr Campbell, said students come to his academy from Europe as they admire Britain’s hotels and restaurants, but people from the UK do not see it as a “proper” career.

While the construction and manufacturing industries have been mentioned by the Government as areas to support post-brexit, leaders in the hospitality industry feel they have been left behind.

Mr Bennett said: “It’s not viewed as a ‘real job’. It’s never ever mentioned.”