The Homes for Ukraine programme was launched on Tuesday by Michael Gove, the housing and communities secretary. Within hours 100,000 householders had signed up — their generosity and willingness to help seemingly matched by government promises to extend the offer of sanctuary to those with no family ties in the UK.
More than three million people have fled their homes in Ukraine, mostly to Poland, Romania and Moldova. Some 15,000 a day are arriving in Berlin; France has welcomed more than 13,000. In the UK the Home Office has issued 5,500 family visas — but the country’s hospitality industry says that it could accommodate 40 times that number as it seeks to solve the worst staffing crisis the sector has seen.
Research by Tripadvisor suggests that 78 per cent of Brits will holiday in the UK this spring. Snowdonia is the top destination, but wherever they go they will find service and availability compromised by a shortage of workers. That means fewer rooms, longer waiting times and a slower recovery time for the industry — a first-world problem, admittedly, but one with what appears to be a simple solution that satisfies reciprocal needs.
According to trade organisation UKHospitality, about 230,000 positions in hotels, restaurants, pubs, holiday parks and guesthouses remain unfilled — a shortfall of about 10 per cent of the workforce, said Kate Nicholls, UKHospitality’s chief executive.
“We are heading into the season and need people now,” she said. “We have jobs available at every skill level, from front and back of house to the senior- level roles, our biggest areas of need. We can offer food, accommodation, training and support, and flexible working hours for those with childcare needs.”
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For Emma McClarkin, former MEP and now chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, the influx of refugees offers solutions rather than problems. “We see this as a chance to highlight the opportunities available in our sector, and if we can offer sanctuary to those in need at the same time then so much the better,” she said.
Under revised immigration rules, sponsors — including communities, individuals and local authorities — will be allowed to bring people to the UK, providing housing and integration support. Those who arrive under this scheme are allowed to stay for an initial period of 12 months, and will be allowed to work and use public services.
In effect this means that desperate hospitality businesses can actively seek staff from Ukraine. “We have not had the opportunity to test how this works yet, but certainly we have vacancies at many of our hotels and would be keen to see some Ukrainian applicants,” said Robin Hutson, who runs the Lime Wood Group and the Pig hotel chain. “We house a good number of our team already in employee accommodation, so can potentially provide housing as well as jobs. Naturally we would do everything possible to welcome, support and settle anyone fleeing from this dreadful situation.”
Steven Saunders, head chef at the Willow Tree restaurant in Bourn, outside Cambridge, has launched the Odessa Project to match refugees with jobs in hospitality. He is in Poland and Moldova this weekend to try to tempt refugees to take jobs in British hotels, pubs and restaurants. “There are no staff in hospitality — I could employ another two or three chefs here today,” he said. “All hotels and restaurants are crying out. We can give people jobs, salaries and accommodation. We primarily want to help refugees, but also help hospitality.
“I already have 1,164 offers of jobs and accommodation from hotel groups, including Best Western and YTL. I have coaches to bring jobseekers to the UK. We could have them in place within the week, but I simply cannot get any help from the Home Office to get the job done. Their systems are antiquated, their response is slow, and it’s deeply disappointing when hospitality is crying out for staff.”
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The industry is acutely aware of the risk of being perceived as opportunistic — of being seen to be pouncing on those who have lost everything to improve its bottom line and ensure that the British public don’t have to wait so long for their dinner. It also strongly denies such allegations. “We’re not looking for cheap labour,” Saunders said. “We’re offering the same rates of pay and benefits as we would offer applicants from the UK.”
“This is not about exploitation,” Nicholls said. “It’s about trying to allow people their dignity at the worst possible time in their lives by going back to the root of the word hospitality and offering care to people we don’t know.”
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