Hospitality has been particularly hard hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, having had to close and modify their offer longer than most other sectors. Many people have changed their way of working and discovered new opportunities, which in addition to better unemployment benefits, has resulted in many venues struggling to recruit.
For Retreats Group, which manages Twr y Felin Hotel, Roch Castle and Penrhiw Priory, all located on the St Davids peninsula, the availability of potential employees was already minimal, with most school and college graduates relocating to large cities, for more varied and readily available education and work opportunities.
To overcome this challenge the group has long been encouraging applications from mature job seekers, who offer an invaluable wealth of life and work experience, and are already skilled in many aspects of hospitality.
Two recent recruits include Tara Pitman and Andrew Campbell, who will work part time across the three venues, as Breakfast Chef and Check In Host respectively. This is a real boost to the existing team and enables the venues to open at full capacity to recoup much needed revenue from the enforced closures.
Tara Pitman is no stranger to the kitchen, having run two successful restaurants in north Pembrokeshire with her husband David, including Morgan’s in St Davids, which was awarded 2 AA rosettes in 2009. A fluent French speaker, she has also managed small accommodation businesses in France which combined her passion for food and service.
Andrew Campbell is more than qualified, being the current Chair of the Wales Tourism Alliance, as well as the Professor of Practice in Tourism at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. He brings a lifetime of experience to the role and will be a great addition to the team.
Twr y Felin Hotel, Roch Castle and Penrhiw Priory offer a positive work environment and are proud recipients of the Gold Small Workplace Health Award, which is the national mark of quality for health and wellbeing. As one of the largest employers in North Pembrokeshire, the group is delighted to offer its new recruits the work/life balance that they wish for and provide employment opportunities for those who want maintain their careers later in life.Sam Wilson Croft, HR Manager of the three venues said, “I am thrilled to welcome Tara and Andrew to the team, who are both incredibly experienced and have established excellent careers within Welsh hospitality. Our ethos is to offer an inclusive, positive and empowering work environment, allowing the team to excel within their roles, which in turn creates a warm, welcoming and high standard of service for our guests.”
