Leeds to develop Centre of Retail and Hospitality Excellence

Plans for a Centre of Retail and Hospitality Excellence in Leeds could come to fruition by April.

Senior councillors have agreed Leeds City Council can go into partnership with Leeds BID to create the centre at LandSec’s City Exchange building, on Albion Street, and pledged to put £195,000 into the venture.

The idea is that the centre will match candidates with job opportunities and give people chance to learn new skills, compete for jobs and help existing workers up-skill and advance their careers. The scheme will also work with Leeds Beckett University, Leeds City College and The Source Retail Skills.

The food and drink industry is one of the biggest employment sectors in the city.

Coun Mohammed Rafique, member for employment, skills and opportunity, said: “With competition extremely fierce, we want to ensure Leeds continues to be ahead of the game and at the forefront of growth in both the retail and hospitality sectors.

“A dedicated hub will help employers identify workforce development and training needs, whilst providing employees of the future with the skills and training necessary to work and build long careers in these sectors.”

However, businessman Luke Downing who owns Leeds restaurants Vice and Virtue, Aperitivo and Nineteen Bar and Grill, has concerns saying previous government-funded schemes had awarded candidates NVQ qualifications whether they were up to standard or not - just to meet targets. He said: “Getting good staff is such a problem. If the big companies are going to pay £9 an hour for entry level staff where does that put people that are good?

"I have staff that are passionate about what we do but they will go to the big companies because they pay £30,000 a year for the same thing. I can’t afford to pay that.”

Luke Downing

He said in the time he had been in business he had had 220 members of staff and currently employs 30 people, the majority of which will stay in the hospitality trade for the rest of their careers and the only way he can offer them more than big chains is to invest his time and experience into them and offer perks where possible.

Mr Downing added: "My staff are putting their passion for the job before the money. I can't pay what the chains do but I offer them the opportunity to make their mark and influence the industry, treat them right and with perks like going abroad to better themselves."

"For this scheme to be a success they should offer businesses an incentive to get involved. Maybe offer rates or tax relief so we can use the extra money to invest in training."

Over the next ten years, employment in the retail and hospitality sector is forecast to grow by up to 13 per cent. From 2014-2024, there are also projected to be approximately 18,000 job openings in the city region in customer service roles and 32,000 in accommodation and food.

Andrew Cooper, LeedsBID chief executive, said: “An overarching objective of the Leeds Business Improvement District’s business plan is for the BID to be an economic driver for the city centre - to assist businesses in identifying and maximising the best pathways and initiatives to attract, retain and develop talent and skills while providing investment opportunities for sectors to ensure Leeds can compete in the global marketplace."