Digital subscriptions provided by the City of Gulfport THE GABBER.COM No. 2707
May 6 - May 12, 2021
Short Staffed: The Hospitality Industry in Crisis By Abby Baker
Indoor dining is fully open in Florida, but without willing and able staff, many St. Petersburg restaurants are forced to close temporarily. The phenomena of busy bars and eateries versus a skeleton crew isn’t unique to St. Petersburg; it’s the reality of the hospitality industry across the entire state of Florida. “I think there’s several ingredients that led us here,” said Robin Miller, President and CEO of the Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce. The chamber recently launched a job placement service that puts job seekers’ resumes at local hiring businesses, namely restaurants and hotels. The office accepts resumes on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 6990 Gulf Blvd. But whether people can and want to return to work right now remains to be seen. “There’s a lot of single parents that can’t return to work now; the unemployment rate; people moved on from the hospitality industry –
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it’s all at play,” Miller said. “It’s not just a Tampa Bay thing. This goes past that.” The Owners Local eateries like the Horse & Jockey British Pub in South Pasade-
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na, PJ’s Oyster Bar on St. Pete Beach and The Historic Peninsula Inn in Gulfport are all feeling the pain. The clientele is there, but without a proper staff, kitchens must close. Lee Doyle, owner of the Horse & Jockey, closed for two days on Help Wanted continued on page 8
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