CELEBRITY CHEF Mark Hix has voiced his concerns about the “pressing” issues facing the hospitality sector.

He said “recruitment of staff is the biggest challenge” facing those in the industry ahead of what is expected to be a blistering summer.

Hix spoke to the Echo shortly after announcing the closure of one of his country pubs in the region.

He announced that The Fox Inn, in Corscombe, would be closing down permanently and cited challenges such as rising costs as being behind the closure.

Speaking to the Echo, the chef said the “odds are against” those in the hospitality industry.

He said: “It’s always difficult thinking “if I’d have done this differently” but it’s got to the point now where we’ve had to make a decision to stop hedging our bets hoping that the pub will start picking up.

“Hospitality is struggling, especially pubs, because people just don’t have the money to go out as often as they used to.

“The odds are against everyone at the moment: fuel, gas, electricity, it’s going up for everyone and I’ve got a ready made business (The Oyster & Fish House) that we can get behind and my staff from The Fox Inn will be joining us there.”

The Fox Inn opened in December 2020 as Hix relocated to Dorset but, much like many in the hospitality sector, faced issues around the recruitment and retention of staff.

Hix said: “It’s a struggle for everyone all over the world trying to get the right level of staff but also the right type of staff.

"That is the biggest challenge, by far, and of course everyone knows - it’s not a secret - and staff know that hotels and restaurants are short of staff so they can afford to ask for more than they’d perhaps normally get. It’s almost in their hands, really.”

“All my focus is going to be on The Oyster & Fish House so we can run that seven days a week and prepare for what we’re hoping will be a good summer: in Lyme (Regis) you’ve always got a good mixture of locals and visitors that you can attract.”