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."

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