A Lake District inn is introducing a number of new initiatives in an attempt to address the industry-wide problem of staff shortages.

Owner of The Punch Bowl Inn & Restaurant at Crosthwaite, Richard Rose, believes the industry needs to up its game when it comes to placing value on staff.

The company is now working towards introducing a four-and-a-half-day week, a new employee profit share-based bonus scheme, enhanced training and private health care provision.

“The hospitality industry is in turmoil, and we know it’s going to take time to recover, so we can’t just sit back and hope to fill positions as easily as we’ve done in the past,” he said.

“Businesses all over the UK are competing for staff to fill a wide range of job roles, so there’s never been a better time to review the packages on offer and make sure we stand out from the crowd.

“Anyone involved in this industry will understand it takes a special kind of person to thrive in this line of work, and the rewards, benefits, working conditions, and health and wellbeing initiatives need to match the efforts put in.”

Mr Rose said that the rural location of the Punch Bowl Inn combined with the Lake District’s high number of surrounding properties being converted to holiday lets, have made it a challenge to provide staff accommodation, meaning he has had to explore alternative options.

“Our striking location plus our reputation have always helped us attract some great people,” he said.

“But the flip side to being in such a picturesque area is that as soon as properties become available, they’re quickly snapped up to let out as holiday accommodation.

“We don’t want travel to hinder people joining us, so we’re looking at providing travel expenses for staff as additional support if they aren’t based within the local area. And of course, we’ll also do what we can to offer short-term accommodation while people settle into the Punch Bowl and into the area.”

The businessman is also keen on investing in his staff’s career development, from ongoing training, coaching, and mentoring in-house to having opportunities to gain valuable experience at other prestigious venues and alongside top producers.

“Our chefs have carried out stages in the kitchens of some of the UK’s best Michelin-starred restaurants, as well as learning from some leading culinary talents in industry competitions,” he said.

“We’re passionate about showing people the benefits of working in hospitality and just how diverse and vibrant our industry can be. The last 18 months have been some of the most challenging times we’ve been through, but we now need to come together to influence positive change for future generations.”