HOPES of a bumper tourism summer season after two Covid-hit years could be under threat unless hundreds of vacancies are filled and accommodation for staff found, the head of the Jersey Hospitality Association has warned.
Claire Boscq-Scott said that businesses were facing major staffing shortages with ‘at least 600 vacancies’ while firms that had sourced foreign labour were searching for more than 400 beds for those due to arrive at the start of the season. And she added that some companies may be forced to cut services and reduce opening hours unless a solution is found.
Mrs Boscq-Scott said: ‘Absolutely there is a worry that businesses could be forced to reduce their services if they cannot house their staff. Visit Jersey is doing all they can to bring people to the Island this summer, bookings seem to be coming in and the season could be fantastic. But if we don’t have the staff to deliver a good experience then people won’t want to come back. Instead of visitors recommending the Island, it will create damage.
‘Businesses want to focus on doing what they do best and that is delivering good customer service with a smile to both locals and visitors.’
She added: ‘We need to come up with short-term and long-term solutions at the same time. We cannot afford to wait years to have houses built and we are hoping this meeting will allow us to discover solutions which can be worked on as part of a collaborative approach.’
She said that a recent survey undertaken by the JHA, which was answered by a third of its members, showed the scale of the accommodation and staffing challenges that hospitality businesses are facing.
The association is planning to form a working group with other industries in the Island that are experiencing similar issues and is seeking to work with Economic Development Minister Lyndon Farnham to figure out potential solutions.
Marcus Calvani, owner of JB’s Brewhouse and The Lido, said that he was in the ‘final stages’ of recruiting ‘two skilled chefs’ from Kenya on temporary work permits. However, he added that he was struggling to find accommodation for them.
‘If the industry cannot house its staff then it will have a knock-on effect on the services it can offer. Businesses could be forced to reduce their operations and the number of covers they can take. If we don’t solve the problems we have with staffing, accommodation and costs then Islanders’ quality of life will suffer because businesses will close and people won’t be able to go out for a few drinks, order a takeaway or take advantage of the amenities we have,’ he said.
‘Finding accommodation has been hugely challenging especially for visiting workers who do not have housing qualifications. It is also fundamental that if we have people coming over to work they are given a good quality of life, because if they are not given that then they won’t return next season and the problem will keep rolling over.
‘Something has to give and the government needs to work with the industry to find a quick solution, as well as a long-term one. We should be looking at some form of residential development for seasonal workers which could be used to house them throughout the year,’ he added.
During an Ask the Ministers event earlier this week, Senator Farnham admitted that planning rules might need to be changed to allow more accommodation for tourism staff ahead of what is hoped will be a bumper summer season.
He said: ‘We have to find ways, even if it’s about making some good-quality temporary accommodation. We have to do something quickly. I need to work closely, especially with the Housing Minister and Health Minister, to make sure we can change the rules, to allow this accommodation to take place.
‘I think we have to change our housing laws to allow for key-worker accommodation. It’s not going to be easy because there’s rules to change, we have to try and find a way, even if it’s only for the short-term.’
Nigel Godfrey, operations director at Randalls, said that the company had purchased a guest house to accommodate a number of Filipino staff who they are hoping to bring to the Island.
He added: ‘We are therefore optimistic that we will not have too many staff issues for this season.’
Dominic Jones, director of JP Restaurants, added: ‘We are being forced to spend our time looking for accommodation solutions which is distracting us from focusing on what we do and distracting us from continually trying to improve our service.
‘However, I am confident that we will find a solution.’
