A RESTAURANT boss has praised a government employment scheme as it invests to keep on a member of staff originally employed on a temporary contract.

Weymouth 51 Cafe Kitchen Shop, at Basepoint Business Centre on Jubilee Close, has offered a member of staff who was first enrolled as part of the government's Kickstart Scheme permanent employment at the restaurant.

The Kickstart Scheme, which launched during the pandemic in September 2020, provided funding to employers to support 18 to 24-year-olds on Universal Credit into the world of work, often starting out in jobs they might not have considered before and preventing them from becoming long-term unemployed.

Married couple, David and Mikka Tamlyn, run the business together and saw the scheme as a great opportunity to take on a new member of staff when they first opened the restaurant in September last year.

Louis Adams, 21, said he was unemployed when he was taken on by the family business just over six months ago. He said he works in a variety of roles at the restaurant as well as helping the family business set up stalls at a number of different food events across the county to sell their popular chilli sauces.

On being given the permanent role, Louis said: "It's really nice. I enjoy working somewhere where I'm appreciated."

David said: "The scheme has served its purpose for us. Louis has made himself a job and he has helped us to be in a position where we can earn enough money to keep him on."