TOURISM is big business in York. And it is more than that. It is one of the pillars of the city’s economy. In 2015, the last year for which full figures are available, Make It York estimates that almost seven million people visited the city. Between them, they spent almost £600 million, and helped support 19,000 jobs.

Yet not all is well in the city’s tourism sector. There has been a glut of new bars, restaurants and hotels to cater for the flood of visitors. But an investigation by The Press has revealed that many tourism businesses are struggling to recruit staff.

More than 20 city centre cafés, bars and restaurants have adverts in their windows for jobs ranging from chefs, waiters and bartenders to kitchen assistants and baristas. And Graham Usher of the York Hoteliers’ Association admitted many hospitality businesses were struggling to fill the vacancies.

There are several reasons for this. The traditionally low wages and seasonal nature of some of the work; the fact that unemployment in the city is very low at the moment, so people are able to pick and choose the work they want; and Brexit.

Steve Brown, of Make It York, said his organisation was working with other organisations such as the York Hoteliers’ Association to find solutions.

Well, here’s one idea. Business leaders like to talk about supply and demand. People ready to work in the tourism sector in York are greatly in demand at the moment. So if businesses want to fill their vacancies, they might have to think about offering better pay and conditions. And perhaps the city council and other landlords could do their bit by reducing business rents to make that possible...