• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

News and entertainment worth sharing – York and North Yorkshire

  • News
  • Radio
  • Vouchers
  • WIN
  • More
    • Tickets
    • Lifestyle
    • Advertise
    • About
    • Contact

Scampi could vanish from pub menus, North Yorkshire MP warns

Thu 20 Apr

Pub favourite: Scampi. Photograph: iStock

Thu 20 Apr 2023  @ 12:14pm
YorkMix
News

Scampi is at risk of disappearing from pub menus if ministers do not create a bespoke visa scheme for foreign fishermen, a North Yorkshire MP has warned.

Scarborough and Whitby MP Sir Robert Goodwill claimed a company in his constituency that relies on labourers from the Philippines to harvest the pub grub staple could go out of business without special visa exemptions.

Changes to the visa system made in March mean overseas fishermen coming to work in the UK will need a skilled migration visa, with the Home Office refusing exemptions for the sector.

Sir Robert Goodwill MP

Sir Robert told the Commons: “I am not crying wolf when I say this is really putting at risk the scampi industry.”

The chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee raised the case of Whitby Seafoods, which operates in his constituency and in Kilkeel in Northern Ireland, relying on Filipino fishermen to bring in the langoustines needed to make scampi.

He said: “I hope maybe she or the immigration minister (Robert Jenrick) could join me in Kilkeel to see how the crew of Filipinos work together as a team, conversing in their own language.”

Under the new rules, workers need to prove they have a good level of English attainment to be granted a visa.

Sir Robert said: “We need to come up with a solution to the language situation so that we can actually keep that fish coming in, keep those jobs onshore and to keep scampi on our pub restaurant menus.”

Home Office minister Sarah Dines replied: “The language provisions are there for important reasons for the safety of those workers.

“It is the case there has to be a proper system of proper English level of attainment. As with every other industry in this country, there should be no exceptions.”

The minister added there would be further financial support for the industry, telling MPs: “There is going to be a detailed generous package which will be announced imminently to allow the fishing industry, who have taken time to get away from this historic practice, to be able to come in line.”

[tptn_list limit=3 daily=1 hour_range=1]


Trending »


Primary Sidebar

Footer

Contact us

General
01904 375 029

Studio/competitions
01904 375 030

Email YorkMix »

5-6 King's Court
Shambles
York  YO1 7LD

Listen to us

You can listen to YorkMix Radio using your DAB+ radio, Alexa or Google smart speaker, or online using the links below.

Click here to listen to YorkMix Radio »

Download the app from Google Play store
Download the app from Apple App store
About us

YorkMix is a trading name of
York Sound Ltd

Registered in England
Company no: 12831940
VAT no: GB289462452

YorkMix Radio public file

  • About
  • Public file
  • Privacy policy
  • Corrections & complaints
  • Contact

Copyright © 2025 YorkMix