Despite high occupancy rates and a six-figure turnover at both his four-star hotels in Derbyshire, profit is set to remain a challenge for the entrepreneur Steve Perez.
In a sector reeling from the collective impact of Brexit, Covid and the cost of living crisis, the hotelier says margins will be further squeezed after the near 10 per cent rise in the minimum wage to £11.44 this month, pushing up prices and stoking inflation.
“Everyone wants to pay people a fair wage, but this rise is unsustainable at the moment,” said Perez, who owns the Casa Hotel and the Peak Edge Hotel near the Peak District.
“The sirloin steak on our menus has gone up from £32 to £40 in recent months since we have to
