Jersey hospitality facing staffing 'crisis' ahead of so-called Freedom Day

Some businesses are struggling to recruit enough members of staff to fully reopen on Thursday Credit: ITV Channel

Hospitality businesses in Jersey are facing a staffing "crisis" ahead of so-called Freedom Day on Thursday (26 August) when most coronavirus restrictions on the island will be lifted.

ITV News has been speaking to restaurateurs who will not be able to reopen to their full capacity, with concerns brewing about a surge in customers over the Bank Holiday weekend and a lack of staff to serve them.

Around 5,500 people are normally employed in the hospitality sector during the summer, but numbers are this year down to around 1,000, according to the Jersey Hospitality Association.

Brexit and coronavirus travel restrictions are being blamed on the staffing issues, with Guernsey facing the same issues with recruitment.

  • Hospitality boss Martin Sayers explains the difficulty of buying in staff from outside the EU

A new marketing campaign will launch in Guernsey in January ahead of the 2022 tourist season, mainly targeted at UK-based workers.

The States says it will also help the industry explore new markets internationally to fill specialist hospitality jobs.