Government must wake up to skills shortage
I find it unbelievable that this Government cannot wake up to the fact that our industry is suffering more than ever from a gross lack of skilled staff because of very low unemployment.
If you were to contact the various technical colleges in the UK you would see that the intake of young people wishing to become skilled chefs, receptionists, etc, has dropped dramatically. We're therefore forced to look abroad for staff. But when we find staff from outside the European Union the length of time they're permitted to work here is restricted, as the Government states (on the immigration website) that our industry isn't in urgent need of staff. Consequently it's impossible to get visas renewed.
After the foot-and-mouth outbreak and terrorist attacks, which badly hit tourism, surely the Government can now appreciate the value of this industry?
M Haslingden
Group Manager - Bournemouth, Forestdale Hotels
A case of sour grapes?
In response to Arthur Meakin's letter ("Don't be sucked in by self-serving publicity" (Caterer, 9 October, page 20), for the record, of the 80 sites reported in the recent Catercheck survey [into staff feeding], fewer than half were Catercheck clients.
Therefore, the two words "sour" and "grapes" spring to mind.
VICTOR TIPPINS
Managing Director, Catercheck Consultancy Services
Has disability legislation been misrepresented?
Tom Blagborough ("Disability access still a minefield for hotels", Caterer, 9 October, page 20) raises a number of concerns.
The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), which was introduced in October 1995, gives all service providers until October 2004 to make "reasonable" adjustments to physical features to overcome barriers to access.
Nowhere in the act, or in any serious commentary on it, have I seen it suggested that failure to provide total access to all accommodation in a property will lead to prosecution.
The first concern is, therefore, that Mr Blagborough has been poorly advised by his local access officer, a public official, who appears to be misrepresenting the act.
It's also a concern that Mr Blagborough has apparently been coerced into making adjustments to his property through fear of prosecution, rather than an appreciation of the business case. There are more than 8.5 million people with disabilities in the UK with a combined disposable income of £45b a year.
Having invested in making his property accessible he should now market it to those people with disabilities who may be looking for somewhere in Penrith to stay.
Finally, it's a concern that a number of people don't recognise that much of the DDA has been in place since 1996. Since that date, it has been unlawful to treat disabled people on less favourable terms and, since 1999, service providers have been required to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate disabled clients.
I should emphasise that it wouldn't be considered reasonable to carry a disabled client to the top floor if the property has no lift.
STEPHEN SPRINGER
General Manager, Grooms Holidays
Not all disabled people are wheelchair-bound
It sounds as though Tim Blagbrough's local access officer may have been referring to individuals who don't use a wheelchair when he suggests making all his rooms accessible.
All businesses must review access for disabled guests, but wheelchair users represent only about 5% of disabled people (according to government statistics). Therefore 95% of individuals may need other adjustments to enable them to stay.
Many will have invisible disabilities, such as hearing impairment, angina, diabetes or allergies, to name but a few conditions. A wheelchair-accessible room may not necessarily benefit these individuals.
The best advice I can offer proprietors is to look at disability issues in much broader terms.
The DDA requires only "reasonable" adjustments and not 100% accessibility for all types of disability. Holiday Care prides itself on providing practical advice and solutions to the hospitality industry, as well as promoting accessible facilities to disabled people.
If proprietors need advice they can contact me via our website or the telephone number and e-mail address below.
BRIAN SEAMAN
Holiday Care, Croydon, Surrey
www.holidaycare.org
Tel: 0845 124 9974
AA should apologise over service charge question
Yes, John Pattin's comments about the AA blithely adding service charges of 10-15% to our prices (Caterer, 2 October, page 21) really hit the mark.
The tips/service charge/service-is-included debate is one of the most acrimonious in the industry, and for a major player like the AA to make such a fool of itself in such matters is a cause for great concern.
I have received an apology from the AA editor, but I feel a wider apology to the industry is called for - unless the AA feels consumers don't pay attention to its guides.
John Jenkinson
Evesham Hotel, Evesham, Worcestershire
Coeliac disease
Info zone (Caterer, 16 October, page 60) describes a person as "suffering" from coeliac disease. In the interests of political correctness you should say "a person with coeliac disease". According to charity Coeliac UK, you cannot use the word "sufferer" in conjunction with the disease.
The article also refers to Rosemary Morrison as the HCIMA's director of special projects and director of Coeliac UK. She is the first and not the latter. And finally, our telephone number appeared incorrectly (our mistake). It should have read 020 8661 4900.
Otherwise, it was a good article!
DR JULIAN DEMETRIADI
HCIMA Press Officer, Sutton, Surrey
Beware of deadly diets
I have read that the film star Richard Gere has embarked on a carrot-only diet, and this causes me to wonder whether well-known stars and personalities, and those who provide food in retail or advertise it realise the enormous responsibility they have for people's dietary habits.
An understanding of what foods do to your body is essential. In the case of Richard Gere's diet, does he know that an excess of carotene, or vitamin A, can kill?
The body can store too much vitamin A and poison it. The first indication of this happening is in the eyes and skin, which takes on a yellowish pigment.
Knowledge of the right kind of food is essential to keep healthy, and desperation to attain certain looks can lead to trouble.
Fashion foods are like clothes - you can ill afford them all the time.
JOHN CODURI
Pontypridd, Mid-Glamorgan