Venues have said they are struggling to recruit enough staff to deal with post-pandemic demand, with vacancies in pubs and restaurant at an all-time high since records began.
One of these affected is Mauro Sanna, the owner of Olivo, a chain of Sardinian restaurants in Westminster.
Like others in the area, he saw a surge in demand after the easing of Covid restrictions, yet Mr Sanna said he was having to close his restaurants due to staff shortages.
“Normally my restaurants are open seven-days-a-week,” he said speaking from one of his restaurants in Belgravia.
“But at the moment, two of my restaurants are shut for two days to give staff a rest.”
Despite the resurgence in demand following the easing of restrictions, Mr Sanna said he’s found himself in a difficult situation, unable to fill positions.
“Believe it or not, we are full blown and busy – and it’s great,” he said.
“But, I’d much prefer to have less money and have more staff. Because with less staff, I have a lot of hassle and stress.”
A new £1m scheme, funded by Westminster City Council, has been set up to try and fill jobs in the hospitality sector.
The New West End Company and the Knightsbridge Partnership – which represent about 900 businesses in London – aim to recruit 2,200 employees over the next two years, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).
