Fortnum & Mason faces staff shortfall due to Brexit
Iconic London department store Fortnum & Mason is struggling to recruit staff following last year’s Brexit vote, its CEO Ewan Venters told the Guardian newspaper.
The shortage is being felt most in its restaurants, he said, with one in five of the chef posts across its six restaurants unfilled.
“Brexit is an alarming issue for me in terms of our ability to hire and retain good people,” said Venters. “The collapse in the pound’s value means wages sent home to relatives are worth less.”
At present, EU citizens account for about a quarter of the 3 million people working in the UK hospitality sector.
Fortnum & Mason, founded in 1707, employs 800 people of which about a 10th of whom are chefs working in its upmarket dining venues.
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