It was with a heavy heart that Jan Vercruysse was forced to close his restaurant. A temporary closure which is a first for 33 years, if we exclude the coronavirus period. However, his establishment, the Belair, is the only one at Ostend airport. Suffice to say that it is not the customers who are lacking but rather the staff to serve them.
The manager admits it to the Nieuwsblad: finding motivated people has become difficult, if not impossible. Whether at the airport or at the side, “it is currently impossible to find motivated staff with any experience in the hospitality sector”. This “shortage” comes for Jan at an even more complicated time. “We’ve got a cook leaving, someone sick…we were already out of arms. So I have no choice but to close the restaurant. At least until the end of September, ”he explains to our colleagues. Then, we will have to hope that the storm has passed. In the meantime, he will keep the brewery open. ” For now ! And even then, we will have to make do with what we have. For the first time in years, we have to use a closing day in order to maintain the viability of our other employees. »
For him, the lack of staff is linked to the coronavirus crisis. “People had gotten used to sitting at home and some just didn’t come back into the hospitality business afterwards. Moreover, we hardly find really motivated personnel (…) I think that there are too many advantages for those who do not work. You have to do something about it even if you can earn a lot of money in the restaurant business, you still have to want to work. »