“The mentality within the industry has always been that the more hours you work, the more people will consider you a superhero. You’d say you had worked 70 hours that week only for someone else to say ‘well, I’ve done 80’.”
Hospitality. For all the energy and the buzz, the thrills, the skills and expertise, the tips and the teamwork, there can be heavy prices to pay to work in the industry. They are, of course, widely reported: long, antisocial hours, erratic shift patterns, a challenging work-life balance, exhaustion.
But what about mental ill-health? How much has that been spoken about? How many workers have felt ‘too macho’, as one chef put it to us, to admit they have struggled?
Read more:
Editor's Pick | Catherine Salmond: That lovely time of year when normality resumes
My editor’s pick this week focuses on our four-day series looking at Scotland’s hospitality industry and the challenges facing workers – and the sector more widely – as it battles a ‘perfect storm’ of pressures, owing to the cost-of-living crisis.
We have had a strong response from readers, and the hospitality industry, to our series led by food and drink writer Sarah Campbell who launched on Sunday with a look at the severity of mental ill-health within hospitality.
And that is where my opening quote comes from; an interview with Gordon McIntyre, a former dean for hospitality and tourism at City of Glasgow College, who leads a charity offering advice and support for people at all levels of the industry.
It resonated with me. Long hours and the challenge of finding a good work-life balance have long been a feature of my own industry. Although much has changed over the years, most notably around a drinking culture within journalism, it is still a career that can be all consuming.
McIntyre launched Hospitality Health in 2018, a support network for hospitality workers, many of whom have spoken out about struggles with mental ill-health, addiction issues and problems with gambling.
And while Covid tested the industry to unimaginable levels, and his team stepped in to help, the current cost-of-living crisis is proving even harder. Support is needed on many levels.
“I think a lot of people assumed that the height of Covid would be the worst period they would ever have to deal with, but the reality is it has exacerbated the issues we are currently facing,” McIntryre explained. “There’s the cost-of-living crisis, which means consumers are going out less and hours are being cut. Then there are recruitment issues because managers can no longer offer the same contracts that they would have. It’s a difficult cycle that we are all trying to break.”
Restaurant closures, staffing shortages and rising outgoings were covered widely in the media last year and already in the early days of 2024 as a number of high-profile businesses have closed their doors.
But the media has a responsibility to not only report from the industry, but to amplify its voice in these testing times. That is why we chose to run our series this week.
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Where would our town and city centres be without our restaurants and bars? The cafes and coffee shops? Their existence and success are vital for employment and tourism. They inject life and personality, draw in crowds, bring people out of their homes, allow places to meet, form friendships and fall in love. They are the heart of our high streets.
We are committed to having meaningful conversations over the challenges facing Scotland’s hospitality industry and we recognise, and support, the vital role its workers play in our country. We will continue to push for support and to influence change at every turn.
Catherine Salmond
Editor
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