British holidaymakers may face long waits at hundreds of bars and restaurants in party hotspots such as Magaluf and Benidorm. The Spanish hospitality industry is reporting huge staff shortages - there are around 4,000 vacancies in the Costa Blanca area alone.
Although more staff are being hired during the holiday season, it’s likely that thousands of vacancies will remain as many businesses blame Brexit for the shortfall. Usually young people from the UK head to party resorts for the summer to work in bars, shops and clubs, but under new rules they will no longer be eligible.
Before Brexit an estimated 25,000 young people from the UK worked in temporary jobs overseas - but that number has now slumped. Alex Fratini, spokesman for the Association of Bars, Restaurants and Cafeterias of Benidorm (Abreca), told a national newspaper: "We are seeing that the problem is not money. The salary of a waiter in Benidorm is about 1,200 euros net per month and in addition, there are a lot of tips, especially with the English - each waiter takes about 300 euros more per month."
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Some bar owners now fear they may have to close early to cope with the staff shortages with long hours and low wages adding to the crisis. Others have blamed the cost of living in popular tourist resorts, with a waiter's salary unable to afford a month's rent.
In Majorca, where businesses have already expressed concerns over staff issues, the local government is investigating if it can ease the problem. The Balearic parliament is considering plans to convert former hotels and tourist apartments into low-cost housing to attract workers to the island.
A Magaluf bar owner said: "It is almost impossible to get a summer job unless you have all the visa requirements and a contract in advance."
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