In a summer season where Norfolk's hospitality sector will be working at 150pc to make up for a largely lost year, the sector will be doing so with one arm tied behind its back.

That is because only 30pc of the workforce needed to fill vacancies are available, with an overwhelming majority of workers choosing to leave the industry either for another market, or another country.

Tom Ginn, founder of Norwich-based hospitality recruitment firm Bread, said: "Usually in a recruitment process you'd expect three candidates for one job. At the moment we're seeing one candidate offered three jobs.

"As soon as they're available for interviews they have some booked in within hours.

"People who worked in hospitality have been on furlough for a year and many of them will have taken an additional job doing delivery driving or similar.

"They've got a level of income and now they're looking at going back to their job with weekends, long hours, stress and weekends, and thinking it's not worth it.

"The other thing is that some of the candidates we work with - about 25pc - are from the EU. Many people went home for the pandemic and have chosen to say. Whether that's a virus issue or a Brexit one I don't really know.

"I do think Brexit will have a big impact on hospitality labour moving forward because there will be a lot more paperwork to get through in order to hire people from the EU. I don't think that will necessarily put businesses off but it does make the process longer and more complicated."

As a result Mr Ginn has seen clients cutting down on availability of hotel bedrooms, limiting menus to fewer options, and opening for five days a week instead of the full seven.

"The business impact is huge," he said.

"It's a candidate-driven market," added Melanie Marjoram of Norwich's branch of Reed.

Ms Marjoram and her team are on the receiving end on the staff exodus from the hospitality sector with candidates streaming in looking to pivot their careers.

"We don't specialise in hospitality but generally speaking higher-skilled workers in that sector are few and far between. What we're noticing is that we're getting a lot of people leaving that sector for a better work-life balance.

"What they do have to consider however is that they're joining a very diverse jobs pool and they'll be up against people in retail, for example, who may have a more relevant background for some roles."

  • Case study: Socius at Burnham Market

Fine dining restaurant Socius in north Norfolk is currently hiring for two chefs - but the lack of labour has meant owners Daniel Lawrence and Natalie Stuhler are importing talent from Leicestershire.

But the pair are going above and beyond to make themselves more attractive to potential employees - offering two extra half days off a week and offering above industry-standard wages.

Eastern Daily Press: Owners Natalie Stuhler and Dan Lawrence at the Socius Restaurant at Burnham Market. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYOwners Natalie Stuhler and Dan Lawrence at the Socius Restaurant at Burnham Market. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Archant)

Mr Lawrence said: "We've hired more people because we know that work/life balance for a lot of people has been what's meant they don't come back to the industry. As a result it means we can give people an extra morning and evening off a week.

"As we hired to reopen we've had a couple of people who signed contracts and then backed out because their previous employer offered them more money. It's such a tough market out there.

"We've got a couple of people I used to work with in Leicestershire coming up to help me with reopening but it's not sustainable and it's very costly. We want to hire local talent and build their careers with them."

To enquire about the vacancies contact Socius directly.