Border hospitality businesses are looking for workers to keep up with customers

Border hospitality businesses La Maison and the Jingellic Pub said they have been busier than ever, as more and more customers want to spend locally and make up for lost time during the pandemic, but the businesses are struggling to recruit staff to match demand.

La Maison restaurant owner Wassim Saliba said he was staggering bookings and booking out at about 40 per cent capacity, because he didn't have enough front of house staff to service the entire restaurant, even after two months of advertising.

"There's no shortage of business, there's just now a shortage of people that need to do the work," he said.

"We are looking at the moment, if we cant get staff, to restructure our business and downsize the hours."

Manager of the Jingellic Pub Shenaye Scott said there had been more customers than a typical year.

"It's been amazing to see, so many people have been out," she said.

"We haven't had that lull that we usually have.

"There were definitely a few months there where we were all working at our capacity.

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She said finding workers had always been an issue because of the remote location of the hotel, but since Covid-19, it had been much worse.

"This year it's been a bit of a struggle," she said.

She said the pub usually took on about four backpackers over summer, but due to international border closures, this year they could only find two.

"Without them we were dealing with it, but we all needed a break, we were all doing crazy hours," she said.

She said it had made her reassess the value of international workers.

Both Mr Wassim and Ms Scott said many hospitality businesses were dealing with the problem.

"Every restaurant that I know is requiring staff," Mr Saliba said.

Ms Scott said hospitality workers left the industry during the pandemic to find more secure work.

"There was a lot of people who did lose their jobs and (who were) obviously looking to other avenues," she said.

"I can imagine for some people it was just crisis mode and they grabbed whatever position they could...that's scared a few people."

Mr Saliba said there needed to be more support for the hospitality industry after he described it as the hardest it's been in 14 years.

"It's suffered probably the most," he said.

"Something has to happen urgently to counteract what happened during Covid-19.

"Our industry will not exist in two years at the rate that we're going, if nothing happens.

"It will cost you an arm and a leg to have a nice dining experience," he said.

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