Michael Caines says it is 'imperative' that hospitality staff get vaccinated to save the sector

Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox

Deputy Editor

Chef and restaurateur Michael Caines MBE has joined rallying calls for hospitality and tourism staff to get vaccinated as soon as possible in order for the sector to recover as restrictions are lifted on July 19th.

The chef and owner of Michelin-starred Lympstone Manor, who also owns the Harbourside Refuge in Porthleven and Mickeys Beach Bar and Restaurant in Exmouth, told ITV News that given how hard the industry has been hit by the pandemic, operators "should take the responsibility now to try and encourage their staff to be vaccinated" to ensure its recovery.

A campaign is being led by Visit Devon, the region's hospitality and tourism board, to encourage 20-39 year-olds, most affected by the current rise in coronavirus cases, to get vaccinated as they also make up a large proportion of the hospitality sector's workforce.

Not only could this prevent the many temporary business closures due to reported cases within them, it argues, but it could reassure tourists visiting the region that they are safe to do so.

Director of Visit Devon Sally Everton, said: "We can't afford these small medium sized enterprises to have to close, because that's how desperate it is.

"If there's another lockdown they will close, there is not a cushion of money for them to keep them going. So what they are having to do is trade, some of them, not even profitably at the moment."

General manager at Lympstone Manor, Stephen Garrod said that at their establishment, "we come into contact with up to 100 people a day and the threat or the risk of catching Covid at the moment is very high with that contact, despite all the measures being taken, so any way we can minimise or reduce that risk."

Michael Caines said: "As one of the sectors that have been most affected by coronavirus, it is imperative that our employees get vaccinated to protect their colleagues and our guests, and to stop the spread.

"With the potential relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions it is even more so important for our industry to be responsive to the vaccination programme and to ensure the continuing reopening of the economy, our industry and the return to normality."

In these challenging times…

The Staff Canteen team are taking a different approach to keeping our website independent and delivering content free from commercial influence. Our Editorial team have a critical role to play in informing and supporting our audience in a balanced way. We would never put up a paywall – The Staff Canteen is open to all and we want to keep bringing you the content you want; more from younger chefs, more on mental health, more tips and industry knowledge, more recipes and more videos. We need your support right now, more than ever, to keep The Staff Canteen active. Without your financial contributions this would not be possible.

Over the last 16 years, The Staff Canteen has built what has become the go-to platform for chefs and hospitality professionals. As members and visitors, your daily support has made The Staff Canteen what it is today. Our features and videos from the world’s biggest name chefs are something we are proud of. We have over 560,000 followers across Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube and other social channels, each connecting with chefs across the world. Our editorial and social media team are creating and delivering engaging content every day, to support you and the whole sector - we want to do more for you.

A single coffee is more than £2, a beer is £4.50 and a large glass of wine can be £6 or more.

Support The Staff Canteen from as little as £1 today. Thank you.