'It’s plaguing everybody'; Staff shortage closes historic restaurant in Port Stanley, Ont.
It’s peak-tourism season and nearly 30 degrees Celsius in Port Stanley, Ont. yet the patio at Kettle Creek Inn is empty.
"I'm getting so many phone calls of individuals wanting to book dining here, and I have to confess that 'I'm sorry we're closed'," says Jean Vedova, the Inn’s owner.
While Vedova is thankful her family-owned hotel remains open, the Kitchen has been closed since mid-July due to a staff shortage.
"The good thing is that Dean (her son) is very proficient at making excellent muffins," Vedova says with a laugh.
"I hate turning diners away, and those that are coming to the Kettle Creek Inn are finding it increasingly hard to find a place to eat in the village. It's called shortage of staff, and it’s plaguing everybody."
Jean Vedova, owner of the Kettle Creek Inn in Port Stanley, Ont. shows off an empty patio. Dining has been shut down since mid-July due to a staff shortage (Brent Lale/CTV News London)Just a few metres away, Two Forks restaurant has a ‘Help Wanted’ sign in the window looking for kitchen and dishwasher staff.
"We have a good team and they are paid well with benefits," says Terri Collard, Two Forks’ owner.
"Our struggle with the dishwashers is because they are so young, they work limited hours."
At Fanshawe College, Chef Kyle Fee sees the struggles both as an instructor and small business owner.
"As for my own personal experience, we had three interviews lined up last night for my little restaurant and not a single person showed up," says Fee.
"I'm not quite sure what's happened but this is something that I haven't experienced in 25 years."
Fee says many students graduating have gone into the Long-Term Care sector, and despite high wages in the industry, the employee faucet has been turned off.
"There was a lot of times where the people that were working just simply didn't have income because of shutdowns and regulations," says Fee.
"So I think maybe the workers were forced to look elsewhere for employment."
Back near Lake Erie, the Business Improvement Association (BIA) in Port Stanley is concerned with the lack of staff at restaurants and businesses in the village.
"There is a bit of a trifecta of negativity with all the help wanted signs around town," says Michelle Graham, vice-chair of the BIA.
"There's no affordable housing for staff to come down and live in. When they do come down here, they have to pay for parking and even getting down here with the gas prices and if they're from out of town is concerning."
A sign posted outside Kettle Creek Inn in Port Stanley, Ont. indicates the restaurant is closed. Dining has been shut down since mid-July due to a staff shortage (Source: Brent Lale/CTV London)At the Inn, the Vedova family is thinking of ways to re-invent the business after 39 years, and hope to be able to offer dining soon.
"I don't think that we need a chef, I think we just need some very good people in our kitchen capable of doing a more modified menu," says Vedova.
"I know people really, really want to support us. They really want to be able to come back to the Inn. So after 39 years I'm not giving up. We're going to evolve."
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