Bristol hoteliers are calling on the government to relax some of the post-Brexit regulations that have hindered their ability to recruit staff as they recover from the devastating impact of the pandemic.
The Bristol Hoteliers Association (BHA) says the combination of Brexit and Covid-19 lockdowns has caused huge problems for the city’s hospitality sector, which traditionally drew heavily on European workers to help staff hotels, pubs and restaurants. 
The UK hospitality sector as a whole employed an estimated 400,000-plus workers from EU countries – 42% of the total – before Brexit.
That has since dropped to 28% as workers returned home to be with their families when Covid-19 hit.
Now, due to changes in employment law brought in by Brexit, most have been unable to return – leaving huge workforce gaps in hospitality at a time when the sector is struggling to recover from the effects of the pandemic as well as crippling inflation and the cost of living crisis.
With Chancellor Jeremy Hunt due to deliver his Budget on 15 March, the BHA – which represents 40 hotels in and around the city with around 4,000 rooms between them – is urging him to take action to enable them to recruit the staff they badly need.
BHA chair Raphael Herzog, pictured, said: “The past few years have been extremely challenging for the hospitality sector and there are still some huge difficulties to overcome. 
“Brexit, the pandemic and now the cost of living crisis, particularly in terms of energy prices, have created the perfect storm.
“One of the biggest issues for us remains recruitment in some key areas of our businesses, such as chefs, food and beverage staff, room attendants and so on, which is why we think it is time for the government to look at relaxing some of the Brexit rules.”
He said this would help not only hotels and other hospitality providers, but many other sectors which were also struggling with staff shortages.
“News reports are full of stories of staff shortages, from bus and coach drivers to care providers, largely because of staff shortages,” he added.
“The country is on its knees because of a shortage of staff in so many sectors, which is why we are urging the government to open up the EU borders more and give many British businesses the helping hand many of them so badly need.”
Last year the BHA spoke out in the wake of a report showing operating costs in the hospitality sector had risen to 55.2% of annual turnover before rent, the highest level since 2007 while inflation hit 9.4%, with prices rising at their fastest rate for 40 years.
This meant the cost of everyday items essential for the running of a hotel and its kitchen had soared, with year-on-year price increases of nearly 40% for flour and other baking ingredients, more than 60% for dairy products, 45%-plus for eggs and 20% for laundry.
