Sonesta Beach is planning to keep almost a third of its staff on a rotating basis to help restore the battered hotel, owner Clifford Schorer said yesterday.

The South Shore property is closing until May after losing half its roof, a beach bar, and sustaining structural damage to the cliff, flooding and damage to many suites.

Mr. Schorer told The Royal Gazette he had reached agreement with the Bermuda Industrial Union and is hoping to use teams of between 80 and 100 out of his 340 staff to work on restoration on a rotating basis.

He said he is hopeful that none of his staff will be asked to leave and that all will be back at Sonesta when it reopens next year.

Staff will get full pay for this week and for two further weeks plus full vacation benefits. Staff under 65 will get half health care, and those over 65 will get full coverage while the hotel is closed.

Mr. Schorer said earlier this year his long-term aim is to demolish the main building, but he said yesterday it will not be pulled down just now, but will be completely restored.

Mr. Schorer, who addressed staff in the hotel lobby yesterday, told The Royal Gazette: "What we are doing at the moment is finding out if the structures are safe. We have not got to that level (yet).

"Clearly, we have lost half the roof and there has been undermining of the structure of the building.

"One long area of cliff face that was reinforced by concrete has collapsed and we could have a large sand shelf that is exposed. We are retaining that with concrete to hold the sand from being undermined.

"We are going to provide as much work as possible to as much of the existing staff as possible to minimise the pain. We are going on a lay-off period that is more extended than normal.

"Normally in October or November we have layoffs, but this is mid-September and so there is going to be a longer down time.

"I am hoping that we will lose no one and I am optimistic the full staff will come back. We were running well. We had a magnificent August, then this happened.

"It is devastating. Clearly, all of our preparation for a worst-case scenario never took account of a category three hurricane direct hit.

"It came as a real surprise. When I knew it was coming here, I tried to rush over from the States in time. When I got here on Monday it was worse than I ever imagined. Insurers BF&M have stepped up to the plate and some people from London are surveying it with our surveyors and we should be able to restore the property to what it was before."

Even with insurance cover, there will be a "large deductible" for restoration work which Mr. Schorer will need to pay.

Fabian forces hotel closings, see story p. 3