Locked-in staff at closed hotel told they will get unpaid wages
Staff who have barricaded themselves into the Foley Arms hotel in Malvern, Worcestershire, after the owner suddenly closed the business have been told that they will now receive their unpaid wages.
The protest at the three-AA star, 28-bedroom hotel erupted on Monday morning after three representatives of the owner, Paul Kempin, arrived and asked the guests and staff, who were owed a week's wages, to leave.
Nine guests had stayed in the hotel overnight and were in the middle of eating breakfast or getting ready to check out.
Manager Nigel Thomas, who had sold the Foley Arms as a minor shareholder for £1.87m in August 2007, decided to lock himself and his staff in the hotel to prevent Kempin's agents from changing the locks. Kempin was believed to be in Switzerland at the time.
Led by Thomas, a core team of eight staff have remained at the hotel since Monday, with the rest of the 23 employees calling in from time to time to offer their support
"I told the owner on the telephone that we were going to stay until we had been paid," said Thomas.
"We had no prior knowledge that this was going to happen and had to cancel a lunch for 30 booked on Monday, as well as make arrangements for future bookings - including a funeral, several weddings and parties - to go elsewhere."
"Business, as for all hotels, has been difficult in the past year with the revenue return on accommodation about 30% down on the previous year, but in recent months things have stabilised, so the closure has come as a shock."
After talking to Kempin this morning, Thomas said he had been assured that the staff would be paid in the next 24 hours.
"Once that has happened we will vacate the building which, I have been told, will then be boarded up. I will have the key until an administrator takes over."
The Foley Arms, which has been represented by Best Western, has recently been managed by Georgian Hotel Malvern, a company run by Kempin's son, Luke, which ceased trading on Monday.
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By Janet Harmer
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