Skye ‘staffing crisis’ means businesses offering reduced services

A staffing crisis on the Isle of Skye means that some businesses are now having to offer a reduced service to customers, business leaders have warned.

The crisis comes as businesses prepare for the first summer in three years free of coronavirus restrictions.

Popular tourist attractions such as the Fairy Pools and the Old Man of Storr are predicted to bring in more tourists, than businesses on the island have the staff to cope with.

Simon Cousins, a spokesman for destination management group Skye Connect, which develops the tourism economy on the island believes that the sector will be hit particularly hard.

‘Really, really tough for businesses’

He told the Scotsman: “The irony is that, for those businesses that are busy, some are not able to offer the same level of service in the past.

“That is because there is a real staffing issue facing industry across Scotland, but we know the Skye tourism industry is particularly hard hit.

“We have got business who would normally offer seven nights’ service during prime season who are now offering four or five so they give existing staff enough time off.

“We have a situation where we have a housing crisis, a staffing crisis and a post-pandemic recovery. It’s just really, really tough for our businesses.”

Rise in housing costs

Last year, it was reported that Skye was caught in a “perfect storm” with a lack of sustainable jobs and high house prices making it impossible for young people to stay on the island.

In a petition to the Scottish Government that was signed 2,567 times, communities on the island claimed that 10% of houses are now second homes, compared to 1% across Scotland. The average house price on Skye has risen to £291,000.

These factors have made it very difficult for the island to attract workers.

Mr Cousins said that the exact numbers of summer visitors will become clearer next week when the school holidays are fully underway.

He said: “All we want to do is deliver a service that visitors can expect. The last thing we want is for visitor to come and say ‘Skye was lovely, but we couldn’t get a meal’.”

Visitor numbers continue to rise

Visitor numbers to Skye has continued to rise in recent years as staycations became more normal during the pandemic.

Attractions such as the Old Man of Storr, the Fairy Pools, and the Quiraing, are all in the process of receiving upgraded paths, bridges, car parks, and toilets to help tourists access them.

Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland has provided £1m in funding for the project which will help protect the sites from damage caused by the increasing amount of walkers.