1,000 apply for 60 restaurant jobs in Leicester
By Cheslyn Baker From Leicester Mercury
A Caribbean restaurant set to open at Leicester’s Highcross shopping centre received 1,000 job applications for just 60 available positions.
Turtle Bay had advertised for roles including commis chefs, cocktail bartenders and restaurant hosts.
Stephen Entwistle, operations director at Turtle Bay, said: “I was staggered by the number of applications we received – it’s a real indicator of the tough jobs market out there.”
“Despite the sheer volume of CVs that came in, we ensured we went through them all to work out who we wanted to bring to interview. We are now confident that we’ve chosen the restaurant team we wanted.”
Mr Entwistle said that the applications came in from a “complete mixture” of people, including recent graduates, young people out of work and some older people.
He said: “We have met some interesting characters in Leicester and are pleased we have been able to bring more jobs to the area.”
Successful applicants went through an unusual recruitment process to secure a job at the restaurant, with special auditions involving limbo dancing and creative collage making.
Mandip Rai, head of Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnerships, said: “The high number of applicants clearly shows that jobs are in short supply in the city and county.
“The creation of demand for skills and creating new jobs is paramount in the role of the LLEP and we very much welcome and encourage such investment.”
Mr Rai said the restaurant would also add to a vibrant city centre, which would have the effect of attracting businesses there and driving economic growth.
Latest unemployment figures show the county’s dole queue shrank last month.
Figures show the claimant count for Leicester and Leicestershire fell by 176 in July to 20,484.
It followed a drop of 714 in June, the biggest month-on-month fall this year.
Turtle Bay is a restaurant chain which aims “to capture the Caribbean island vibe by serving up authentic dishes in an environment inspired by the love of laid-back living”.
The Leicester branch is the company’s fifth and will open on September 13.
It already has restaurants in Milton Keynes, Southampton, Bristol and Nottingham.
Another is scheduled to open in Bath later this year.
PHOTO: Stephen Entwistle, operations director at Turtle Bay
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