Cloakroom/Luggage Attendant

Also known as:

Luggage Attendant

Introduction

Cloakroom/luggage attendants are responsible for the safe storage of coats or possessions in a cloakroom or left luggage office. They may also be responsible for taking the money for this service.

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Work Activities

Cloakroom attendants work in conference centres, restaurants, nightclubs, theatres, exhibition halls, museums and other places that have large numbers of visitors. They look after the visitors' coats and bags.

Usually cloakroom attendants work from behind a counter. The visitor comes to the counter and hands over their coat and/or bag (and sometimes a payment). The attendant gives the visitor a numbered ticket and fixes a duplicate ticket to the item. The attendant then puts the clothing or bags onto rails and shelves in a set order. When the visitors want their items back, they hand over the ticket and the attendant matches it up to the one on the racks.

They also might have to answer enquiries and direct visitors to the part of the building where an event is taking place.

In some places, such as nightclubs, restaurants and conference suites, cloakroom attendants look after coats only.

Some attendants work in left-luggage offices, for example at railway stations, airports and bus stations. Security is a very important aspect of this work. In some places, luggage is put through an X-ray machine.

Cloakrooms are often near to toilets and attendants might have to oversee the washrooms, making sure that they are clean and tidy, and that there are enough supplies of soap and toilet rolls.

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Personal Qualities and Skills

This job might be suitable for you if you enjoy providing a service and dealing with the public. You should have a smart appearance and be polite, helpful, honest and trustworthy.

You are need to be fit and active as you would spend most of the time on your feet and might have to lift and carry heavy items.

You need a responsible attitude to security to be a luggage attendant.

Many attendants deal with payments so you should have basic number skills and be able to handle cash.

You should be self-reliant and able to work well without close supervision. You might have to work quickly at times, so you need to remain calm when there are long queues.

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Pay and Opportunities

The pay rates given below are approximate.

Cloakroom/luggage attendants earn in the range of around £5.00 - £7.00 an hour.

Attendants work a basic 39-hour week. Some jobs are part-time and evening only. Shift work, including work at weekends is common, especially in hotels and places that are open for 24 hours (airports, for example).

There are opportunities throughout the UK, but not in large numbers.

Cloakroom attendants work for large hotels, nightclubs, large restaurants, theatres, conference suites and other places that hold entertainment or business events. Other employers are airports, bus and railway companies and specialist baggage firms, who run left-luggage offices at some railway stations and airports.

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Adult Opportunities

It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Some entrants have a background in security work, or have relevant skills and abilities gained in dealing with the public and handling cash.

• 36% of people in occupations such as cloakroom/luggage attending work part-time.
• 3% have flexible hours.
• 5% of employees work on a temporary basis.

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