A Bridlington-based pub group, Apollo and the Stirling Pub Company, has been accredited as a Living Wage Employer.
Their Living Wage commitment will see everyone over 18 working at The Apollo on Prince Street and The Stirling Castle on Queen Street in the town, receive a minimum hourly wage of £12.
It is understood that the company is the first business in Bridlington to do so.
According to research, Yorkshire and the Humber is the UK region with the highest proportion of non-Living Wage jobs in the country (15.8%), with over 368,000 jobs paying less than the real Living Wage.
Despite this, Apollo and Stirling Pub Company say they have committed to pay the real Living Wage and deliver a fair day’s pay for a hard day’s work.
The real Living Wage is the only rate calculated according to the costs of living.
It provides a voluntary benchmark for employers that wish to ensure their staff earn a wage they can live on, not just the government minimum. Since 2011 the Living Wage movement has delivered a pay rise to over 460,000 people and put £3 billion extra into the pockets of low paid workers.
“It has been a long term aspiration of the business to commit to the Real Living wage, which we hope will represent a catalyst across the towns wider hospitality industry, making Bridlington both a fantastic place to visit, but also a fair and decent place to live and work.”said company owner and publican Rob Forster.
Katherine Chapman, Director, Living Wage Foundation said: “We’re delighted that Apollo & Stirling Pub Company has joined the movement of over 14,000 responsible employers across the UK who voluntarily commit to go further than the government minimum to make sure all their staff earn enough to live on.
“They join thousands of small businesses, as well as household names such as Burberry, Barclays, Everton Football Club and many more. These businesses recognise that paying the real Living Wage is the mark of a responsible employer and they, like Apollo & Stirling Pub Company, believe that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay.” added Katherine.
About the Living Wage
The real Living Wage is the only rate calculated according to what people need to make ends meet. It provides a voluntary benchmark for employers that choose to take a stand by ensuring their staff earn a wage that meets the costs and pressures they face in their everyday lives.
The UK Living Wage is currently £12 per hour. There is a separate London Living Wage rate of £13.15 per hour to reflect the higher costs of transport, childcare and housing in the capital. These figures are calculated annually by the Resolution Foundation and overseen by the Living Wage Commission, based on the best available evidence on living standards in London and the UK.
The Living Wage Foundation is the organisation at the heart of the movement of businesses, organisations and individuals who campaign for the simple idea that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay. The Living Wage Foundation receives guidance and advice from the Living Wage Advisory Council. The Foundation is supported by our principal partners: Aviva; IKEA; Joseph Rowntree Foundation; KPMG; Linklaters; Nationwide; Nestle; Resolution Foundation; Oxfam; Trust for London; People’s Health Trust; and Queen Mary University of London.
What about the Government’s national living wage?
In July 2015 the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the UK Government would introduce a compulsory ‘national living wage’. It was introduced in April 2016, originally applying for all workers over the age of 25, is currently £10.42 an hour and applies for workers over the age of 23. The rate is different to the Living Wage rates calculated by the Living Wage Foundation. The government rate is based on median earnings while the Living Wage Foundation rates are calculated according to the cost of living in London and the UK.
