TV’s Hotel Inspector apologises after cancelling lunch bookings

TV’s Hotel Inspector Alex Polizzi has apologised after cancelling lunch bookings at her Alfriston hotel, The Star.

She said the decision was ‘incredibly difficult’ but that it had been taken to ‘protect our staff’ due to a ‘staffing crisis in the hospitality industry’.

Alex and her mother Olga Polizzi bought The Star in 2019 and invited local for a sneak preview of their plans in October of that year.

The 37-bedroom hotel was on the market with a £2.6 million price tag.

After months of renovation and a delay due to covid, the hotel opened its doors in June this year.

In August, the hotel was on TV in a three-part series on Channel 5 about the Polizzis’ efforts to open the hotel.

In October, it was named the best place to stay in the south east.

However, this month the Herald was contacted by people saying their bookings for lunch had been cancelled by the hotel.

Alex Polizzi said, “We opened The Star with the intention of welcoming as many guests as possible.

“We have taken this incredibly difficult decision to close lunch bookings, in order to protect our staff, who are working so hard and we cannot allow them to become overwhelmed or disheartened.

“The extent of the staffing crisis in the hospitality industry cannot be underestimated.

“We sincerely hope that we will be able to reopen our lunch bookings in the new year.

“We are actively recruiting in all departments, and training new starters.

“We know how disappointed some of our guests have been to have their lunch bookings cancelled, and we can only apologise.”