London — Coffee and sandwich chain Pret A Manger wants to increase the number of Britons working in its UK shops to cushion it from potential damage if EU workers stay away after Brexit, its boss said on Thursday. The status of citizens from other EU countries living in Britain has been clouded by last June’s Brexit vote with the UK government yet to guarantee their rights, saying it first needs a reciprocal deal with the EU. Of Pret A Manger’s 20,000-plus UK workforce, about 65% come from EU countries other than Britain. "We’ve been reaching out to British labour pools in a way that we never had to before," CE Clive Schlee told Reuters. Pret A Manger, majority owned by private equity firm Bridgepoint, was increasing its use of social media and links with UK job centres in its recruitment strategy, he said. This summer it is to launch its "Big Experience Week" offering 500 week-long paid work experience placements to British school students. "We’re very encouraged by the response ....
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