BBC's new canteen sitcom gives ‘old-fashioned' view of industry
A BBC sitcom featuring dinner ladies in a staff canteen, to be screened in September, gives an "old-fashioned" image of the catering industry, according to an industry insider.
The industry source, who has seen a preview of Dinner Ladies starring comedienne Victoria Wood, said that the six-part series was "unlikely to do the industry any favours image-wise".
This comes as hospitality chiefs battle to shed the industry's bad reputation and encourage newcomers into jobs.
This week Mike Carrol, head chef of Solihull's Swallow hotel, appeared on BBC Midland's Today programme to counter the widely held view that a career in catering is a second-rate option. Carrol highlighted benefits such as opportunities to travel, good wages in the top jobs, company shares and pension schemes.
