Owner of The Wolseley restaurant group sells vouchers to customers to pay staff wages

One of London's most famous brasserie groups, Corbin & King, owner of The Wolseley, The Delaunay and Brasserie Zedel, today issued an extraordinary plea for regular patrons to buy meals in advance so it can pay their staff.

Jeremy King said the company desperately needed the money to cover staff wages because under the government furlough scheme, the service charge or tronc shared by waiters and kitchen staff is not included despite it making up to 60% of restaurant staff's earnings. That means staff are only able to claim 40% of their wages, leaving them now struggling to feed their families.

It is selling dining vouchers that can be redeemed at all the restaurants across the group. For every voucher, 50% goes to the staff.

The decision to exclude the tronc was made by the Treasury despite the fact that staff pay tax on it as if it was normal salary. Taxi drivers, hairdressers and other trades can claim on all their their tips, said King, saying "I'm afraid this ruling is irrational, illogical and discriminatory and frankly not in the spirit of the scheme but the Treasury is standing firm despite the entreaties of desperate restaurateurs."

In a recorded message to regular customers, he said: "We need your help."

He described the exclusion for restaurant workers' tronc as "Like a knife that struck to the very heart of the catering industry."

The company topped up their wages in April and March but could no longer afford to do so as the lockdown looked set to be extended.

"It won't cost you any more than faith, Faith that we will still be here in 2021, of which I'm confident, and faith you will continue to want to visit us."