Following the post-Brexit immigration plans unveiled by the government, BII COO, Steven Alton says: “The news that government is planning to deny working visas to “low-skilled” workers from outside of the UK comes as a real blow to our industry.
“People who work in hospitality contribute a huge amount to our economy, and in a time where pubs, bars and restaurants are keeping our high streets and communities alive, we should be supporting them however and wherever we can.
“Hospitality work is not “low-skilled”. Training and development in our industry is fantastic; career progression is clear, but we rely heavily on labour from overseas and to change this in 10 months will put an incredible amount of pressure on businesses of all sizes.
We need to have an immigration system that supports the already under-staffed hospitality sector and encourages the growth that we know we can achieve alongside the right business rates reform.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
The BII is the leading independent licensee support organisation for individuals working in hospitality, with over 8,000 individual members running premises across the UK – predominantly tenanted, leased, managed and freehold pubs.
The organisation provides integral helplines, online business support, and guidance on key industry issues, face-to-face networking opportunities and savings on a range of supply deals for its members. It is the only organisation of its kind to represent the individuals working at the front line of licensed retail
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