Craft Beer Co founder says claims chain underpaid bar staff are 'entirely wrong'

Hayes described claims that bar staff were paid £4.20 an hour for the first two weeks they were employed as ‘disgusting’ and ‘entirely wrong.’

“To make the accusation that we have ever paid someone £4.25 an hour is wrong. Our bar staff without exception are paid £8.25 per hour or more, which I am fairly sure is at the very least puts us in the 10% of payers in the industry.

“That pay relates to people of any age. We are a family business which cares deeply about our staff, offers progression and the opportunity to grow personally and professionally.”

Paying £8.25 puts Craft Beer Co far above both the national minimum wage of £6.70 and the new living wage of £7.20, which is set to be enforced from April next year.

Wetherspoons boss Tim Martin recently criticised the government’s decision to push employers to pay higher wages.

“By pushing up the cost of wages by a large factor, the government is inevitably putting financial pressure on pubs, many of which have already closed. This financial pressure will be felt most strongly in areas which are less affluent, since the price differential in those areas between pubs and supermarkets is far more important to customers.”