Kellie Rixon MBE FIH: Hospitality Heroes: Views from a (very angry) hospitality girl…
Well, hello all you hospitality gang out there. Your slightly agitated and deeply frustrated self-appointed hospitality cheerleader here!
When I started writing these columns, I thought it may be a fun and interesting read without too much controversy or strong opinion. Well, I’ve lasted a whole two editions until my blood has finally boiled over and I’m compelled to succumb to a public rant. I considered several titles for this one but after a few edits I’ve decided to take a positive slant and call this…Hospitality Heroes.
I’m writing this on the train to London this morning before flying back up to Aberdeen later today. I’m reminded that wherever you are in the UK hospitality industry we are all connected by the current and continuing issues which threaten to cripple the industry we love. So, what’s got me so riled up?
Well in short, being ignored. Not me but the whole sector. I’m sick of us all being ignored, overlooked, excluded, trivialised and placated. Now this isn’t a solitary political attack. Hospitality has pretty much been ignored by all parties and both governments and following the latest budget I’m convinced that this ambivalence will continue
How quickly people forget? Remember the time when people demanded our industry was protected and respected? Lockdown brought a new level of appreciation, but that national feeling of support and outrage seems to have vanished and with it is any genuine support for our industry. I am so angry that again there is no clear support for our struggling operators but with no movement on the VAT reduction, ever-increasing living wage costs, supplier increases and staff shortages, hospitality is just past breaking point. It’s heartbreaking to read the list of closures every week and see even the most seasoned operators have to concede that the playing field is simply unwinnable. A cry of ‘you’ll miss us when we’re gone’ rings out all over the UK right now.
For the longest time we have called for a true Minister for Hospitality. Someone who understands our sector, who truly gets it, who’s worked in it or is at least passionate about its survival and yet, nothing. We have been distracted with promises and slight of hand but for those of us still working every day at the front line we know the truth.
We have been abandoned and I for one am sick of it.
We need to pull together to demand action.
We need to show our strength and our resolve
We need to stop letting governments ignore our contribution and impact.
It’s way past time for political photo ops and long pointless lunches. People’s livelihoods are being lost every day and if I look back over the last 5 years little provision or support has been provided to an industry which employs one in twelve people in the UK in it or its supply chain. Now I’ll hear a rebuttal of ‘furlough’ and to that I say, I agree, it helped. It helped lots of industries including retail and manufacturing, teachers and support workers. It was a necessity for everyone. It was not hospitality exclusive. So, what about us???
Now before all hope is lost I said this column was called heroes and I’d like here to turn to the lyrical genius of Mariah Carey who teaches us ‘a hero comes along, with the strength to carry on and you cast your fears aside and you know you can survive’. Come on sing along. In times like these we need our heroes to emerge. To stand up for us and fight alongside us. Never pushed aside or silenced. We need our heroes to be our champions.
You may have your own opinion on who they might be, but I’m reassured when I see the fantastic work of people like Sacha Lord who not only is taking the fight to Westminster but doing it in a way that won’t be ignored (that’s us Northerners!!!). Another couple of Northerners out there championing hospitality are Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham and the best chef in the Northwest (in my opinion) Paul Askew at The Art School. These are the heroes we need right now. Let’s pass them the mic and our support and amplify these voices. It’s time we all get on the same page and really start to demand action.
Not all heroes think they’re heroes though. In preparation for this column, I’ve been thinking a lot about inspirational people. With the terribly sad passing of industry legend Ken McCullough last week, we lose another master of hospitality. I never worked with Ken but we both spoke at an event a few years ago and he was just as impressive as I’d hoped. His vision and legacy is still as strong and prevalent today and my very good friends at Dakota and Malmaison will all be feeling his loss right now. He was a hospitality hero no mistake.
My hospitality hero remains the legend that is Stephen Carter OBE FIH. I watched him in action last week and I was reminded just how much he’s taught me and supported me for the past 20 years. I thought how lucky I was and how special his support made me feel. When I think about it, I now realise that is his real genius. I always feel like I’m special because he gives me his time and attention but if I’m being honest, if I asked the whole industry to put your hand up if Mr Carter is still your “boss” I’m certain there would be a sea of hands across the planet.
That’s the thing about heroes. They think of the many never the few, they are not driven by their own self-importance or ego. They do what’s right. They help others not themselves. They make us better. We need more of that right now.
So, when it comes to heroes I’m sure they are out there. Some more obvious than others but in the words of MPeople we have to search for the hero inside ourselves. We need to stand up and stand together.
I’m ready who’s with me?
Kellie
Kellie Rixon MBE FIH, a hospitality girl
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