Skills shortage and increasing costs pose threat to success of takeaways

THE growing success of takeaway restaurants is being threatened by a shortage of skilled workers, coupled with rising inflation and business rates, a report warns.

A campaign launched by the industry is calling on the Government to overhaul business rates, make sure the immigration system enables firms to access suitably qualified staff from the European Union and address skills shortages in cuisines such as curry, sushi, Chinese and fish frying.

The British Takeaway Campaign published research showing takeaway restaurants contributed £4.5 billion to economic output last year and employ over 230,000 workers.

Graham Corfield, managing director at Just Eat, which co-founded the campaign said: “Everyone loves their local takeaway, but few would realise these small, often family-run businesses, are behind so much of the UK’s economic growth.

Restaurateur Ibrahim Dogus, who chairs the campaign, added: “The takeaway industry has transformed the high street and the British palate.

“Takeaways contribute billions to growth and are behind thousands of jobs. But many are being hamstrung by skills shortages, rising food and wage costs, as well as business rates.

“We want to get more young British people fired up about working in this exciting industry by ensuring they get the right training to build successful careers in the sector.” A RARE condition that causes chronic pain may have a surprising link to the way the brain processes visual information.

The discovery, published in the journal Brain, could bring new treatments for the problem known as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS).

About 16,000 people in the UK suffer from the condition, which causes burning, stabbing or throbbing pain in arms or legs.