PUBS, hotels and restaurants have a record 176,000 job openings – a shortfall equal to Wigan’s population.
The number rose by another 10,200 in the last three months of recorded figures.
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The lack of wait staff, cooks and bar staff has resulted in some venues closing on quiet days or shortening their opening hours.
Meanwhile, offering higher wages to attract staff is seen as one of the main drivers of rapid inflation.
There are 1.3 million job openings across all industries, with hospitality accounting for 13 percent, the Office for National Statistics says.
The number of unfilled vacancies has more than doubled since pre-Covid.
During the lockdown, many catering workers from Eastern Europe and elsewhere have returned home and have not returned.
Others who took leave found other work for more money during their free time.
Even perks like birthday days off and cheap bed and breakfast rates haven’t enticed enough staff.
UK Hospitality boss Kate Nicholls said of the shortfall: “This is particularly worrying as we enter the main trading period of the summer.”
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