London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Oct 06, 2025

Abuse leaves hospitality staff at 'breaking point'

Abuse leaves hospitality staff at 'breaking point'

Hospitality staff say frustrated customers have left them demoralised and upset with some at "breaking point".

The sector is facing staff shortages, with travel restrictions causing more people to holiday in the UK.

Some staff in Cornwall said they were worn down by being sworn at and threatened with violence when restaurants were full or food delayed.

UK Hospitality "urged all customers to treat staff with respect".

Visit Cornwall estimated there were about 30,000 more visitors to the county this season than the usual peak of 180,000


Emily Gimblett, 20, a Newquay waitress, pleaded on social media for "common decency" after she said a customer made her cry.

"She was really, really moody and I just cried.

"I had already been reduced to nothing that day... It's like a lose lose situation," she said.

"I have never seen it this busy, it is ridiculous... The amount of staff we have can't cope with the influx.

"What you say to someone can ruin their whole day. We're still a person... We're tired."

Ms Gimblett said customers were angry and she had "reached breaking point".

She said people on holiday were annoyed that "everywhere is fully booked every night" while staff were worn out working long shifts.

Jamie-Lee Job appealed to customers to "be kind"

Ms Gimblett's employer Steve Young, owner at the Quintrell Inn, said it was the "busiest ever season" in his eight years there, and while many customers were polite and patient, abuse had "gone up an octave".

He said it was a combination of some tourists as well as some locals that were "difficult".

"A vile group of blokes came in and one just flipped out and tried to attack me when I told them we couldn't fit them in," he said.

Industry bodies say one in five hospitality workers have left the sector during the coronavirus pandemic, with further shortages caused by workers being "pinged" and told to isolate by the NHS app.

Catering businesses in some UK tourist resorts are experiencing further pressure, with reportedly busier seasons due to restrictions on travelling abroad.

'Customers have cabin fever'


Jamie-Lee Job, owner of The Summer House restaurant overlooking the beach in Perranporth, said customers since the pandemic were "a lot more aggressive" and it was "demoralising".

"Customers at the moment have a cabin fever about them.

"People seem to have lost their sense of humanity.

"No-one wants to work in hospitality at the moment - it's relentless."

Staff shortages have meant they have had to close until 28 August when they will be open for drinks.

Restaurants in Cornish resorts like St Ives are largely booked up, some visitors said

But one Newquay man, who wished to be anonymous, said eating out had become more stressful for customers, and that abuse "reflects both ways" in the town.

"We have had awful attitudes from some staff.

"No matter what the reasons, courtesy should be given at all times," he said.

Visit Cornwall estimated there were about 30,000 more visitors to the county this season than the usual peak of 180,000.

In Devon, Brian Todd, who was on holiday in Woolacombe, told the BBC he was disappointed to queue for more than one hour to buy pizza.

"There's either a lack of food or a lack of staff... It's all pre-bookings... But you've just got to get on with it," he said.

'Rushed off our feet'


Tegan Cluett, 21, a holiday park waitress in Cornwall, said: "We've had people waiting for one hour and 20 minutes for food.

"I feel bad for them, but we've had some really threatening people.

"We've had people shouting loudly... One man knocked over all the drinks on the table on purpose," she said.

"I can't stress how rude some of them are and we are rushed off our feet.

"They swear at us and I think thank God I am wearing a mask as I am going bright red in the face... I have felt like crying," she said.

In busy resorts many if not all restaurants are booked up for weeks in advance, staff said

Malcolm Bell from Visit Cornwall said: "The peak weeks have been more challenging with staff shortages and staff being off with the virus or being 'pinged'".

He urged visitors to "plan and book ahead" and have "understanding, tolerance and respect" for staff.

Mr Bell pointed out there are a "stunning" range of quieter places to visit in Cornwall outside the main resorts.

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of industry body UK Hospitality, said: "After such a difficult 18 months for staff in the hospitality sector, this behaviour is shocking and completely unacceptable.

"I urge all customers to treat hospitality staff with respect."

Jo Causon, CEO of The Institute of Customer Service warned customer-facing workers who receive abuse "often end up taking time off sick or leave the industry".

"Businesses can help by communicating openly and honestly and training service staff to deal with the different scenarios they are likely to face," she said.

"Customers must also take responsibility for not letting frustration boil over into hostility or abuse."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
OpenAI and AMD Forge Landmark AI-Chip Alliance with Equity Option
Munich Airport Reopens After Second Drone Shutdown
France Names New Government Amid Political Crisis
Trump Stands Firm in Shutdown Showdown and Declares War on Drug Cartels — Turning Crisis into Opportunity
Surge of U.S. Billionaires Transforms London’s Peninsula Apartments into Ultra-Luxury Stronghold
Pro Europe and Anti-War Babiš Poised to Return to Power After Czech Parliamentary Vote
Jeff Bezos Calls AI Surge a ‘Good’ Bubble, Urges Focus on Lasting Innovation
Japan’s Ruling Party Chooses Sanae Takaichi, Clearing Path to First Female Prime Minister
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced to Fifty Months in Prison Following Prostitution Conviction
Taylor Swift’s ‘Showgirl’ Launch Extends Billion-Dollar Empire
Trump Administration Launches “TrumpRx” Plan to Enable Direct Drug Sales at Deep Discounts
Trump Announces Intention to Impose 100 Percent Tariff on Foreign-Made Films
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Singapore and Hong Kong Vie to Dominate Asia’s Rising Gold Trade
Trump Organization Teams with Saudi Developer on $1 Billion Trump Plaza in Jeddah
Manhattan Sees Surge in Office-to-Housing Conversions, Highest Since 2008
Switzerland and U.S. Issue Joint Assurance Against Currency Manipulation
Electronic Arts to Be Taken Private in Historic $55 Billion Buyout
Thomas Jacob Sanford Named as Suspect in Deadly Michigan Church Shooting and Arson
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
New York Man Arrested After On-Air Confession to 2017 Parents’ Murders
U.S. Defense Chief Orders Sudden Summit of Hundreds of Generals and Admirals
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
Trump Claims FBI Planted 274 Agents at Capitol Riot, Citing Unverified Reports
India: Internet Suspended in Bareilly Amid Communal Clashes Between Muslims and Hindus
Supreme Court Extends Freeze on Nearly $5 Billion in U.S. Foreign Aid at Trump’s Request
Archaeologists Recover Statues and Temples from 2,000-Year-Old Sunken City off Alexandria
China Deploys 2,000 Workers to Spain to Build Major EV Battery Factory, Raising European Dependence
Speed Takes Over: How Drive-Through Coffee Chains Are Rewriting U.S. Coffee Culture
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Ringo Starr Champions Enduring Beatles Legacy While Debuting Las Vegas Art Show
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Colombian President Petro Vows to Mobilize Volunteers for Gaza and Joins List of Fighters
FBI Removes Agents Who Kneeled at 2020 Protest, Citing Breach of Professional Conduct
Trump Alleges ‘Triple Sabotage’ at United Nations After Escalator and Teleprompter Failures
Shock in France: 5 Years in Prison for Former President Nicolas Sarkozy
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
BNP Paribas Abandons Ban on 'Controversial Weapons' Financing Amid Europe’s Defence Push
Typhoon Ragasa Leaves Trail of Destruction Across East Asia Before Making Landfall in China
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Big Banks Rebuild in Hong Kong as Deal Volume Surges
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Arnault Denounces Proposed Wealth Tax as Threat to French Economy
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Denmark Investigates Drone Incursion, Does Not Rule Out Russian Involvement
Lilly CEO Warns UK Is ‘Worst Country in Europe’ for Drug Prices, Pulls Back Investment
Nigel Farage Emerges as Central Force in British Politics with Reform UK Surge
Disney Reinstates ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ after Six-Day Suspension over Charlie Kirk Comments
×