Northwich Wildwood restaurant fails to pay minimum wage

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy today named 260 employers around the country for failing to pay 16,000 workers at least minimum wage rates.

Government investigators identified £1.7 million in back pay for some of the UK’s lowest paid workers and fined employers £1.3 million for underpayment.

Wildwood, which opened next to Barons Quay in December last year, has been named on the list for failing to pay two employees the minimum wage.

Wildwood restaurant, trading under the name Took Us A Long Time Limited, failed to pay £427.39 to two workers.

Business Minister Margot James said: "There is no excuse for not paying staff the wages they're entitled to and the Government will come down hard on businesses that break the rules.

“That’s why today we are naming hundreds of employers who have been short changing their workers; and to ensure there are consequences for their wallets as well as their reputation, we’ve levied millions in back pay and fines.”

Retail, hairdressing and hospitality businesses were among the most prolific offenders in this round across the country.

Bryan Sanderson, Chairman of the Low Pay Commission, said: “The Low Pay Commission’s conversations with employers suggest that the risk of being named is encouraging businesses to focus on compliance.

“Further, it is good to see that HMRC continues to target large employers who have underpaid a large number of workers, as well as cases involving only a few workers, where workers are at risk of the most serious exploitation. It is imperative that the Government keeps up the pressure on all employers who commit breaches of minimum wage law.”

Common reasons for errors made include failing to pay workers travelling between jobs, deducting money from pay for uniforms and not paying for overtime.

The specific reason for Wildwood’s underpayment has not been revealed.

The manager at Wildwood has not been available for comment, when approached by the Guardian.