Marco Pierre White withdraws threat to dock staff wages for walk-outs

Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox

Deputy Editor

A spokesperson for Celebrity ex-chef and Restaurateur Marco Pierre White has said a threat to take money out of staff wages to pay for walk-outs was "a misunderstanding" after The Mirror questioned the group about an email sent to the team at The New York Italian at East Midlands Airport's Yew Lodge Hotel

Staff at the restaurant reportedly received an email from their manager, stating that customers leaving without paying had cost them £646.29 in recent months, adding: “Management has come to the decision that from today onwards staff will have to pay for any walkouts that he/she is responsible for."

“It’s not fair on the company to take on these losses.”

However, when the chef's aides were contacted by the press, they distanced themselves from the policy, and said: “This seems to be a misunderstanding following an email to staff by one of our managers.

“As owners, we have never said that we will deduct these losses from staff wages or from tips

“The message was to highlight the issue of guests walking out without paying which is a major issue across the industry.”

'Attempts to impose the policy will be reported to police'

It is illegal for employers to deduct wages - including tips - from staff for 'dine-and-dash' incidents unless prior consent has been put in writing by the employee in question, or if it is included in their contract.

Reflecting this, Unite leader Dave Turnbull applauded the withdrawal, and called for the company to make it clear that no such policy would be enforced.

“We are pleased Marco Pierre White has made clear this was a mistake," he said.

“The company now needs to communicate to all staff this is not company policy and any attempts to impose it by managers will be reported to police.”

MPW

Marco Pierre White owns and operates eight New York Italian restaurants across the UK, as well as 29 other restaurants. The UK’s youngest chef to receive three Michelin stars, he launched his first restaurant, Harvey’s, in 1987 and his second, The Restaurant Marco Pierre White, in 1993, earning his third Michelin star in 1994.

He made the decision to return his stars and hang up his chef whites in 1999, turning his attention to owning and running restaurants instead.

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