Mayfair restaurant Le Gavroche shuts for lunch indefinitely, citing Brexit-driven staffing shortage
Mayfair restaurant Le Gavroche will only open for dinner service until further notice, with the restaurant highlighting a “major” lack of well-trained hospitality staff due to a combination of Brexit and the pandemic.
From 14 June, the two Michelin-starred restaurant owned by French celebrity chef Michel Roux will only open from 5pm onwards, meaning punters will be unable to book in for lavish lunches for the foreseeable future.
In a statement posted to Le Gavroche’s website, Roux said: “Since opening, restaurants up and down the country have suffered greatly with staffing problems party due to new Brexit regulations as well as there now being a major lack of well-trained hospitality professionals since the pandemic struck.
“While we have been working our hardest to resolve this issue over the last couple of months, Le Gavroche is sadly understaffed for the time being.”
Roux said the restaurant would be contacting all those with lunch booked to re-arrange the booking to dinner.
The celebrity chef continued: “The alternative at this point would be to essentially overwork our existing staff which we are not prepared to do as I’m sure you can understand.”
He added that he hoped to welcome guests back for lunchtime “before long”.
It has been widely reported that hospitality businesses have struggled to recruit staff now they are back open.
Yesterday Brexit-backing Wetherspoon pubs boss Tim Martin said that the UK should make it easier for lower-skilled EU workers to relocate here.
His comments came as rival pub and restaurant bosses told the Telegraph that recruitment in the industry was so poor that many sites are having to close to lunchtime trade.