A UNIQUE partnership is set to help Cumbrian tourism and hospitality businesses tackle major staff shortages following the COVID-19 pandemic. Newsquest, LOCALiQ Cumbria in partnership with Stagecoach are looking to help the county’s businesses get back on their feet after an unprecedented year. According to Cumbria Tourism, in April 34 per cent of businesses were concerned about recruiting staff due to factors including staff moving on during the pandemic, post-Brexit immigration policy changes, current travel restrictions and many businesses hiring at the same time. Over the last month this issue has escalated sharply across all business types throughout the county, and many have been forced to turn to agency staff which comes with additional financial burden.
With sporting meetings now beginning to return and the May Bank Holiday weekend on the horizon, we took a look through our archives to catch a glimpse of some racing fun! The Carlisle Racecourse May Bank Holiday Family Funday has often been an event that has been able to bring both young and old together with enough activities to keep everyone entertained. Featured today we see Cumberland News chief executive, Robin Burgess, judging the best turned out horse in the first race back in 2015. We also see youngsters having a fun time at the races as we see the appearance of Holly Ghorst as Princess Elsa helps decorate cakes with Grace Andrews, five, from Chester.
THE TEAM behind the News & Star are on the lookout for new staff to join its ranks. Owners Newsquest Cumbria is investing in local journalism to ensure its titles can continue to be at the heart of the community. The company is on the look out for a Local Democracy Reporter, a Print Editor for Cumbria and a Digital Editor who will cover Cumbria and Northumberland. Vanessa Sims, regional group editor said: We are really excited to be recruiting at a time when most media companies are scaling back. Cumbria is a beautiful place to live, work and play. We are looking for a Local Democracy Reporter (LDR) who will thrive on the adrenaline rush of a breaking news story.