Some companies are being ‘blacklisted’ over their handling of the coronavirus pandemic (PA/Backgrid)

Coronavirus has seen some firms show their true colours as they juggle protecting staff with suffering tremendous losses.

While the majority have heeded Boris Johnson’s request to ‘stand by your employees’, several wealthy business owners have come under fire for their handling of the situation.

Wetherspoons, Sports Direct and Topshop are among the chains customers have been urged to boycott when the crisis has passed.

Firms on the business blacklist have been criticised for refusing to pay staff or laying staff off, despite the government’s colossal job retention scheme which offers to finance 80% of workers’ wages to firms impacted by the coronavirus shutdown. Others have faced the wrath of social media for insisting on remaining open amid ambiguity around what is classed as an ‘essential business’.




People are vowing not to forget which companies treated staff badly when the coronavirus lockdown is lifted. Here, we take a look at the culprits caught up in controversy.

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Wetherspoons

Calls to boycott Wetherspoons came after millionaire boss Tim Martin told staff they would not be paid after this Friday and suggested they get jobs at Tesco. He also told chain suppliers they would not be paid what they are owed until the massive pub estate is allowed to re-open when the coronavirus lockdown ends.

Following fierce backlash against his company, Mr Martin confirmed on Wednesday that the first payment under the government’s job retention scheme ‘will be made on April 3, subject to Government approval, and weekly thereafter.’

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Earlier, Rachel Reeves, who chairs the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Committee, wrote to Mr Martin, and Sports Direct boss Mike Ashley, calling for them to set out the measures their businesses are taking to support their employees during the current crisis.

A Wetherspoons in Crystal Palace was vandalised amid backlash over boss Tim Martin’s treatment of staff (Credits: PA)

Chairman of JD Wetherspoon Tim Martin suggested staff get jobs at Tesco after telling them they won’t get paid beyond Friday (Picture: PA)

Sports Direct

After Boris Johnson put the UK into lockdown on Monday, Sports Direct remained open as bosses argued they were essential to keep the nation fit during the crisis.

Billionaire owner Mike Ashley came under fire after the chain reportedly hiked prices of some equipment by more than 50%. Meanwhile, outraged Sports Direct employees said they feel their lives are ‘undervalued’ because they are still being made to work despite government advice to stay at home unless you are an ‘essential’ worker.

Piers Morgan is among those vowing to boycott the fitness retailer, saying on Good Morning Britian ‘We will remember the companies who stepped up to care for their employees and customers and we’ll remember those who abused their employees’.

Defending the price hikes, a spokesperson said the products were originally discounted and were still less than the RRP.

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Sports Direct was criticised for remaining open and hiking up prices amid the coronavirus pandemic (Picture: PA)

Travelodge

Travelodge has been criticised after it closed a number of hotels being used to house homeless and vulnerable people, leaving some fearing they would have nowhere to go.

The company said they were acting in line with government lockdown measures introduced on Monday – despite the Ministry of Housing stating that hotels providing rooms for people who are homeless should remain open.



Travelodge has told local authorities to move any temporary residents to one of the 140 of its branches that remain open. But one anonymous housing officer said they were left ‘scrambling’ to find accommodation after being given two hours’ notice about the closures.

Travelodge was caught up in a controversy after it closed hotels that were housing homeless people, despite government instructions not to (Picture: PA)

Travelodge said in a statement: ‘We do expect to remain open in selected critical locations across the country to support accommodation for emergency workers and other groups. We are reviewing daily which hotels are best positioned to support the needs that arise with the government while ensuring we comply with the new restrictions in place to protect the public.’

Dexters Estate Agents

Metro.co.uk has been overwhelmed with messages from employees across a range of sectors who are terrified they are breaking lockdown rules and adding to the spread of the virus.

London estate agency Dexters is one such firm that continued to tell its 1,500 staff to travel to their branches to work after Boris Johnson’s lock-down announcement on Monday.

Employees at Dexters Estate Agents were not happy about having to come into work against social distancing advice issued by the government (Credits: Jeff Blackler/REX)

Pictures of the bust tube have sparked fears non-essential businesses remain open

The company has been accused of having a ‘complete disregard’ for the welfare of their staff on social media.

Dexters CEO Jeff Doble said the company was in the process of ‘winding down’ with 50% of staff working from home already. But he said some jobs – such as providing assistance to people worried about their rent and helping people move – could not be done from home.



Waterstones

Waterstones came under fire for insisting on remaining open during the coronavirus shutdown of non-essential businesses, with CEO James Daunt saying the bookstore chain was ‘no different to a supermarket or a pharmacy’.


He was forced into a U-turn after staff complained that they felt at risk in the stores and had not been given any protective equipment such as hand sanitiser or gloves.

Great website to buy books from https://t.co/nbayV9HSSf – they are connected with independent book shops in the country which now are in terrible need of support. Share this link far & wide. Boycott @Waterstones, they are treating their staff like cattle. #waterstones — Agnese Daverio (@gnoffiland) March 22, 2020

Waterstones staff and all bookshop staff need a union NOW to put a stop to this kind of exploitation! If you work for a bookshop and are interested in getting organised, DM us! Please RT! — Bookshop Staff Together (@BookshopStaff) March 21, 2020

Several people claiming to work for the company complained of their predicament on social media, leading to calls to boycott the bookstore.

Britannia Hotels

Britannia Hotels – owner of Pontins – allegedly sacked and evicted workers across the UK as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Some workers alleged that security staff were sent round to turn off the power to force them out staff accommodation.

The firm blamed the brutal move on an admin error, saying eviction notices were sent to workers in the Scottish Highlands by mistake. But employees across the country disputed this, telling Metro.co.uk they had been fired and made homeless at Basingstoke Country Hotel, Pontins in Prestatyn, Pakefield, Brean Sands, Camber Sands, Sand Bay and Southport.

Britannia Hotels – owner of Pontins – allegedly sacked and evicted workers across the UK as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.(Credits: Daily Post Wales)

The Coylumbridge Aviemore Hotel where Britannia said an ‘administration error’ had been made when initially asked about reports of staff being made homeless (Picture: Britannia Hotels)

I suspect many folks, when they see this, will be adding Britannia Hotels to the list of businesses they will not be frequenting when this crisis is over. https://t.co/LgYrpBCRlw — Andrew Neil (@afneil) March 20, 2020

The fim said they had reversed the decision, but came under fire again yesterday for removing homeless people who had been staying at a hotel in Manchester in a bid to limit the spread of coronavirus. This happened after the company had agreed to put people up as part of a £5 million plan to house rough sleepers, the Manchester Evening News reports.

Britannia Hotels has been contacted for comment.

Virgin Atlantic

Virgin Atlantic was heavily criticised after it told staff to take eight weeks of unpaid leave amid a drop in demand and unprecedented travel bans caused by coronavirus.


Among the critics was Shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald, who said it was a ‘disgrace’ for a company owned by a billionaire ‘to ask its employees to live without wages for two months in the middle of a crisis’.

Richard flog yr private island and pay yr staff, we are in unprecedented times here. Now is the time yr staff need support after making mountains of cash for the company https://t.co/RgmFnKknDc — Angela Rayner ð (@AngelaRayner) March 16, 2020

It is a disgrace for a company owned by a billionaire to ask its employees to live without wages for 2 months in the middle of a crisis. Richard Branson can put his hand in his own pocket if needs be. https://t.co/8Ol2puheY7 — Andy McDonald MP (@AndyMcDonaldMP) March 16, 2020

Richard Branson, who owns 51% of Virgin Atlantic, has an estimated net worth of £3.35 billion, according to Forbes.

Defending the move, which was announced before the government’s job retention scheme, the company said the unpaid leave would be spread across six months salary and was the only way to ward off job losses.

Virgin Atlantic has cut 85% of its fleet due to coronavirus, with CEO Shai Weiss also taking a 20% pay cut for four months to help offset the hit from the pandemic.

Virgin Atlantic has grounded around 85% of it fleet as a result of the coronavirus pandemic (Credits: EPA)

Topshop

Millionaire Topshop owner Philip Green came under fire after staff on temporary contracts claimed they had been laid off with no redundancy. Meanwhile, those on permanent contracts were sent a letter explaining they would only be paid until March after Arcadia Group announced it would be closing all 300 stores.

The decision was made an hour before chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled its coronavirus Job Protection Scheme. The retailer has not confirmed on if it will sign up to the plan.

The Arcadia Group, which includes Topshop, has closed 300 stores (Picture: Rex Features)

A spokesman told Metro.co.uk that the company is updating staff regularly on their situation beyond April, adding ‘as part of this, we are going through the detail of the Government’s job retention scheme which was positively announced on Friday 20th’.

Gordon Ramsey

TV chef Gordon Ramsey is in the firing line for laying off 500 members of staff amid the coronavorus crisis. The 53-year-old summoned his staff to a meeting where they learned their contracts would be terminated – reportedly leaving many in tears.

They were later sent an email explaining they would be paid up to 17 April, giving them the option to appeal the decision.

After Gordon – who is thought to be worth around £140million – failed to guarantee they would retain their jobs when the restrictions lift, chef Anca Toropuc blasted his decision.

‘All of us have worked so hard for Gordon Ramsay and he has just got rid of us when we needed his support the most,’ she told MailOnline.

Gordon has yet to speak publicly over the claims, which came just hours after he confirmed the closures on Instagram. Gordon Ramsay Restaurants have been contacted for comment.



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