The stately home where Downton Abbey was filmed has been forced to cancel wedding bookings because of Brexit.
Highclere Castle in Berkshire allows couples to recreate the antics of the stars of the BBC series by hosting up to 25 weddings a year including, in 2005, when singer Peter Andre and model Katie Price tied the knot.
However, it has no bookings for 2023 and just one for 2024, according to Lady Carnarvon, the real-life Downton Abbey countess. She said they only have enough staff to cater for parties of 20 or fewer.
“Brexit has undermined the wedding industry at Highclere, and it has really all been about the effects of leaving the EU,” she said.
“It is a matter of fact that Brexit has caused such a retraction of people available to work in the hospitality business that we realised we simply cannot guarantee that we can find enough staff to put on an event of the quality that we would want. We have tried everything but there is no point pursuing the quest any further.”
Lady Carnarvon said before Brexit, European students studying in the UK could easily fill gaps throughout the summer – peak wedding season – but they are now being faced with a 30 page form to apply to work in the UK.
“It is a huge own goal on our part and I really cannot judge the students concerned for being disinclined to deal with so much bureaucracy simply for a holiday job.”
Highclere, built by Charles Barry – the same architect who redesigned the Houses of Parliament – became an iconic symbol of Britain’s film success.
Downton’s cast, including Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville and Michelle Dockery were regularly filmed strolling around the grounds for the series which has been watched by more than 120 million viewers worldwide.
The house itself became as big a star as the actors and was one of the few places where the Queen used to stay with the present Lord Carnarvon’s father who was her racehorse manager.
Stanley Johnson, a former MEP and father of Boris Johnson, said the fact Highclere was struggling was a stark reminder of the problem of leaving Europe.
“If Downton cannot support itself with enough workers to help keep its business afloat, with all its backing of TV and fame, what chance will other small businesses have?
“Surely it’s time to work out a new, more productive relationship with the EU – even if we can’t rejoin at the moment?”
A recent report by the think tanks UK in a Changing Europe and the Centre for European Reform found Brexit has caused a shortfall of around 330,000 workers in the UK.
It said the ending of freedom of movement had “contributed significantly” to current labour shortages with hospitality, retail, construction and transportation hit the hardest.
Stanley Johnson said Highclere’s struggles are a stark reminder of the problems of leaving Europe
A combination of the new points-based immigration system, difficulties in navigating the longer paperwork procedure and easier access for Europeans to other EU countries has encouraged people to stay away.
In 2019, around 42 per cent of the hospitality industry was made up of EU workers but that figure had slipped to 32 per cent two years later.
Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UK hospitality – which represents industry members – said the shortage of workers added up to £25 billion worth of lost trade.
Half the businesses in hospitality are arbitrarily restricting their output and closing for 13 hours a day, she said, with the issue the same across the industry.
The huge success of the Downton Abbey TV show attracted a lot of interest in the location
Highclere was one of the few places where the Queen used to stay with the present Lord Carnarvon’s father who was her racehorse manager
