Several city hotels have put staff on reduced working weeks as the hospitality industry sits on the verge of crisis. Workers at one of the capital's most prestigious hotels have been asked to take annual leave now because there is nothing for them to do. However, the economic downturn is good news for anyone booking a break in the capital as hotels have slashed their rates substantially. As many as 180 staff at the five-star Westbury Hotel off Grafton Street have been requested to take any holiday leave they may have carried over from last year and a week's leave from this year's allocation. The move is seen as a step towards cutting costs and preserving jobs. Extended unpaid periods of leave can also be taken, and staff doing so will be given a guarantee that their job will be safe upon return.

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