Marco Pierre White pub chain Horatio Inns loses employment tribunal case

The tribunal found that the chef’s Horatio Inns company breached the regulations on no fewer than 15 occasions over a 55 day period.

The Tribunal heard that Ashley Wells, an assistant manager at the Pear Tree Inn, Wiltshire, was asked to work to rotas in such a way that it was impossible to meet working time regulations.

The Tribunal heard that his former manager, Emma Bennett, frequently commented that the hospitality trade required working long hours and made staff work late or miss their breaks between split shifts.

Under working time regulations, staff can only be required to work a maximum 48 hours a week, and must have 11 hours rest between their shifts.

The Tribunal also ruled that Wells, who took his case to the tribunal, had been unfairly constructively dismissed.

Wells said that he had been in the catering trade for a decade, and whilst it was a trade he loved, he has always hated the stereotypical view that the only way to be seen to be committed to your work was to work ridiculously long hours, with no credit being given for ability to actually carry out the job.

He went on to say that he felt that an industry leading company and world renowned chef should be setting an example as to how to treat employees, rather than breaking the law.

Jonathan Baldrey, director of legal firm Employment Law Services, who assisted Wells with his claim, said that he “hoped this ruling would go some way towards changing attitudes towards employees in the catering industry” and “urged any other employees who found themselves in similar situation not to be afraid to stand up for their rights”.