All Peach employees across the 19-strong pub group will be paid in full for the first three weeks of the current pay period (to 5 April), before being put on furlough – and receiving 80% of their salary for the closure period – as of 6 April, according to Peach managing director Hamish Stoddart.
The group has promised to top up the monthly pay of anyone who’s salary is more than the maximum grant cap of £2,500, and to continue to pay both individual pension contributions and those from Peach.
The two exceptions to these measures will be a skeleton team working to support the pubs and Peach directors carrying out statutory obligations, who have all agreed to forgo salary until the pubs reopen.
“Apart from health, we all share huge concern about our jobs and wages in the months ahead and have been doing everything we can as a company to negotiate with our banks, suppliers and landlords so that we can keep the Peach team together and secure the future of the business,” says Stoddart.
“Despite having no income at all, we can continue to pay this level of wages by taking advantage of government and bank support and sacrificing director salaries. Our plan is to make it through this period of closure with the goal of keeping the whole business and team intact.”
Stoddart says the intention is for Peach to make it through this period of closure, ready to launch with 'Peachy enthusiasm' when it is allowed to reopen its doors.
"Our guests are going to be desperate for great Peachy hospitality and the good stuff when they come back and we need our team to be ready and able to give guests what they want. We don't want to lose anyone through this process and remain committed to being a really great place to work, learn and grow. Staying true to our values has never been more important than now."
The group has also set up a Peach Hardship Fund to help any member of its team in need throughout the pandemic and is working in its various communities to supply charities with ready meals and support NHS workers.