No plan will work unless we understand, acknowledge and face head on the root causes of the shortage.

The staff and skills shortage in #hospitality is the single biggest crisis facing the industry. Without staff there is no business and a much reduced economic recovery from #covid for UK PLC. What are we doing about it?

@fredsirieix1 In that case absolutely - the tax has been paid so the benefit should be provided: seems very unfair.. it’s a shame it (tips/service charge) is needed when staff should not have to rely on non-contractual payments to survive….regards

@SteveUsher All above aboard and declared to HMRC. Taxable and included in the bottom right corner of any payslips. An integral part of many pay packages yet non contractual.

@fredsirieix1 Is this taxable/declared income: if so then it should be included…. If not then probably no…..

Quick opinion poll. Furlough for #hospitality did not include service charge (this amounts to 10/20% to 50% of total pay package). Should SC have been paid?

If catering colleges keep on closing at this rate what chance do we have to inspire / train / educate home grown talents and solve the skills and staff shortage? #hospitality

What we need is a coalition of the willing. Professionals, education specialists, the treasury and education departments working together forwards a common goal. That is the only way.

The main issue is how fragmented #hospitality is. We as an industry do not speak from one voice. Regardless of that we could and should do much better.

and funding for catering colleges exist. It is vital we educate and up skill UK home grown talents. The industry is walking straight into a skills and staff crisis unseen before. Sadly we have no common vision or strategy to sort this out 2/2

On the one hand it’s great anyone can walk into a restaurant/hotel/bar etc... with no experience whatsoever and get a job. On the other hand however it shows how far we have to go to not only promote #hospitality as a career but also ensure the right educational pathway 1/2

@fredsirieix1 @lewis_goodall @fredsirieix1 well when trying to rent a property, agencies don’t take service charge into account as it’s not a guaranteed income source

@lewis_goodall question : post pandemic/restrictions - will banks / lenders still recognise service charge from #hospitality staff pay checks as income when authorising mortgages?

#hospitality staff on furlough only receive 80% of house pay. Service charge is excluded, meaning they take home 80% of 50-70% of their total salary. Disaster for anyone with a family to look after and a rent / mortgage to pay 👇🏻

Putting the #hospitality house in order is a big job. It must go from the basement and all the way to the attic. We need unity and a vision.

It is also key that the changes I am calling for include a total review and streamlining of the professional curriculum and qualification system.

I am talking about the recognition of this huge issue at the highest level of government and the start of a national shift in policy involving the treasury, ministry of education, education professionals and the wider industry.

Without unity, a clear shared vision and a plan to both improve the industry’s reputation and position #hospitality as an industry that offers good career prospects we will still be going round in circle in 20 years.

We must therefore urgently educate and up skills home grown talents in the UK. Professional education needs funding. That is the only way to deliver inspiring education.

The issue has gone from bad to worse due to the industry’s growth and more recently the loss of much of our European workforce who has now gone back home and is unlikely to return.