Celebrity chef Tom Kerridge has warned that young and part-time workers are disappearing from the hospitality industry, a crisis he attributes to Labour's recent tax hikes and minimum wage increases. The Michelin-starred owner of The Hand & Flowers told the source that businesses can no longer afford lower-rung staff, as senior vacancies go unfilled and part-time roles are cut. Three hospitality venues close every day, he says, as costs spiral and VAT remains at 20%.

The VANISHING ENTRY-LEVEL JOB: Kerridge Admitted Young and Part-Time Workers 'Do Not Exist'

According to the report, Kerridge stated plainly that "younger people and part-time staff just do not exist very much in businesses anymore." When senior members leave, he explained, firms are not looking to rehire and are "definitely not looking at part-time staff because they cannot afford it." This is a stark admission from a chef who runs 11 venues, including a Michelin-starred pub, and suggests that the traditional ladder into hospitality—part-time work for students or entry-level roles for school-leavers—has all but collapsed.

The source notes that Kerridge's experience chimes with widespread criticism of Labour's tax and minimum wage policies, especially in sectors like retail and hospitality that historically depend on large numbers of young and part-time workers. The minimum wage for 18 to 20-year-olds has risen more sharply than for older groups, with Labour's aim to equalise it with the higher national living wage—even though critics argue that makes employers less willing to take a chance on young workers and train them up.

The 'NEETs' Surge: Over One Million Young People Now Out of Work

The report points to a troubling statistic: experts believe the policies have helped drive the number of people classed as not in employment, education or training (NEETs) above one million.. As Kerridge's own businesses cut back on juniors and part-timers, the broader job market for young people appears to be shrinking.. While a direct causal link is hard to prove, the correlation between rising employer costs and the NEETs surge is hard to ignore.

This context matters because it suggests that Labour's well-intentioned wage equalisation may be backfiring. If young workers cannot get a first job, they will not beneit from any minimum wage at all—and may drift out of the workforce entirely.

Why Kerridge Wants VAT Cut to 8–12% to Match Europe

Kerridge is leading a campaign to slash the 20% VAT rate on hospitality to between 8% and 12%, aligning with much of Europe. The source reports that businesses including hotels, pubs, restaurants, and bars are facing "spiralling costs that are just unable to be passed on to guests." Kerridge argues that a VAT reduction would give operators "breathing space" to stop daily closures and allow growth.

The call comes after Labour hiked the employer national insurance rate and sharply reduced the salary threshold at which it must be paid—a double blow for labour-intensive hospitality businesses. According to the report, Kerridge said: "We have three hospitality businesses closing every single day so to relieve the pressure we want VAT to be dropped."

What the Government Hasn't Answered: Is Help for Small Pubs Coming?

The source does not quote any response from Labour or government ministers to Kerridge's campaign. That silence leaves open a key question:will the government engage with the call for a targeted VAT cut, or will it continue to defend the current tax and wage regime as necessary for fiscal responsibility and equity? Kerridge is urging "a proper conversation," but so far there is no sign of one.

Another open question is how many of the 11 venues Kerridge himself operates are currently loss-making or close to closure. The report does not specify, leaving readers to wonder just how close to home this crisis is for the chef who sounded the alarm.