New body set up to boost skills

Seven of the hospitality industry's professional craft associations this week united to form the Hospitality Skills Academy (HSA), a strategic alliance created to improve the quantity and quality of craft training in the sector.
The HSA aims to widen access to skills and qualifications, encourage more young people to enter the industry, and enable more experienced individuals to develop new skills.
British Hospitality Association chief executive Bob Cotton will initially chair the academy, which comprises the Academy of Culinary Arts, Academy of Food and Wine Service, Craft Guild of Chefs, UK Housekeepers Association, United Kingdom Bartenders Guild, Les Clefs d'Or and Amicale Internationale des Chefs de Reception.
Speaking at the launch at London's Park Lane Hilton, Cotton said: "We need to place greater emphasis on vocational training and lobby
the Government to encourage more craft courses in our colleges of further education".