One of those affected, Tony Sargeant, co-owner of outdoor catering company Jersey Kitchen, said staffing events had been made challenging by many Islanders returning to the UK to attend university.
The sector has become another victim of the staffing crisis – sparked by a combination of Brexit and Covid – with bars, restaurants and hotels also struggling to find workers.
Last month the Island moved into Stage 7 of the government’s Covid-19 reconnection roadmap which saw the limit on indoor and outdoor gatherings removed, as well as the return of large-scale festivals and events.
Mr Sargeant said there had been a gradual increase in bookings since restrictions eased and that a number of previously cancelled corporate parties had been rescheduled to September, October and November.
‘It is a great sign for us and we are really happy to see that people are wanting to get out, enjoy themselves and book with us. However, it is becoming really hard to staff events because a lot of our staff is usually made up with students who have now returned to university.’
He added: ‘I had two potential corporate bookings for 200 people each the other weekend but I had to turn one away because we don’t have the staff. We are having to phone up our friends to see if they can pitch in and help us.
‘It is really tough having to turn away business after the past 18 months where we have had next to nothing go our away and been operating in the smallest capacity.’
Simon Harper, co-owner of Harpers Catering, called on the government to implement a financial support scheme to help event companies to survive into next year.
He said: ‘We are picking up new bookings and it is better than it was, but it is a lot of small-scale bookings in comparison to the numbers we would normally take. A lot of the larger events that we had in the diary earlier this year were cancelled well in advance as people did not want to take that risk.’
He added: ‘People cannot just organise large-scale events overnight and so it is going to take time to build things back up and that is why it is crucial that any financial support schemes are extended throughout the winter to support businesses as they go through what is generally a quieter period.’
Marcus Calvani, of The Lido at Havre de Pas, added: ‘Since the final restrictions have been eased it has gone from zero to 100. We have gone from having nothing on our books to turning away business because we cannot cater for any more people.
‘It is great that we are now getting business, which has included wedding parties and rescheduled corporate events, but I do not have the staff to run these events. I have had to cater for two weddings all by myself recently and although I have managed to do it, it is not sustainable.’
