Staff at Sheffield village pub made redundant just weeks before they could reopen

Around 15 workers at the Old Red Lion in Grenoside are set to be made redundant, just weeks before the government could allow pubs to reopen.
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Staff at a popular Sheffield pub, the Old Red Lion in Grenoside, were told last week that they were being made redundant from June 20 and they will receive their final pay cheque from the establishment on June 24.

Timeless Inns business owners Luke Halsall and Jack Halsall, who manage the pub, wrote to staff to explain that the Covid-19 crisis has “caused much unrest across the whole hospitality industry” and “difficult decisions have to be made.”

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The Old Red Lion was forced to close its doors on March 20 and staff were furloughed after the Prime Minister announced that pubs, bars and restaurants across the UK should shut for the foreseeable future.

Staff at the Old Red Lion pub received the news that they would be made redundant last week.Staff at the Old Red Lion pub received the news that they would be made redundant last week.
Staff at the Old Red Lion pub received the news that they would be made redundant last week.

The decision from Timeless Inns, who own six pubs across Sheffield and Barnsley, comes weeks before hospitality business could reopen their doors on July 4.

Old Red Lion employees have expressed their frustration with management for immediately terminating their contracts without following ‘proper redundancy and consultation processes’.

Workers also claim they were asked to use holiday allowance while they were furloughed.

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But Timeless Inns, who manage the establishment, maintain that all government guidelines and employment laws have been upheld.

An employee who wishes to remain anonymous said: “I was a little bit disappointed because they've basically pulled the rug from everybody.

"They've already let other staff go with the same letter from other pubs that are also under the Timeless Inns group.

"That could be more than 20 people so really they should have been looking at a 30 day consultation period.

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"We make customers feel welcome and make sure they return but they aren't taking any of that into consideration.”

In a statement business owners, Luke Halsall and Jack Halsall said: “We have communicated with all of our colleagues since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, urging them to look for alternative work as we could not guarantee jobs would be safe.

“We have done everything possible to reduce job losses and the Government Job Retention Scheme has helped, however it does not cover all employment costs including the accruing of annual leave.

“We communicated with all colleagues to ask if they would object to taking one week of annual leave whilst on furlough to which not a single colleague objected.

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“We followed government guidelines and employment law throughout this process.

“Unfortunately with the scaling back of the furlough scheme and our ongoing costs we have had no choice but to reduce our workforce in order to reduce our costs, try to save our business and save many other jobs.

“Again all government guidelines and employment law have been followed with many colleagues receiving twice the amount of notice that was legally required.

“We are heartbroken it has come to this as every single member of our team have worked extremely hard, but we must try to save as many jobs as possible.

“All colleagues have been informed that they will be contacted first if any job vacancies are available in the months after re-opening.”

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