Loophole leaves staff at Derbyshire community-owned pub fearing for their jobs
The owners of the pub are seeking clarity from the Government
The community-owned Spotted Cow at Holbrook.
Staff at a well-known community pub in Derbyshire could lose their jobs due to confusion over a new emergency scheme aimed to keep people employed during the coronavirus pandemic.
The owners of the Spotted Cow in Holbrook, near Belper, say they are in a "unique but heartbreaking" situation as they can't be sure over future staff payments until they get a "definitive answer" from the Government about an issue centred on the new Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
In 2017, Holbrook Community Society rescued the closed Spotted Cow pub from property developers, reopened it, opened a separate café and took over the local Post Office business.
The pub had previously been run by tenants until March 2 when they moved on.
This resulted in Holbrook Community Society managing the pub directly, just before pubs were ordered to close by the Government to help stop the spread of coronavirus.
However, the date the community took over the direct management of the pub has now created a huge problem and much uncertainty for its employees.
Last month the Government announced details of the new Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme which allowed people who could not work throughout the pandemic to receive 80 per cent of their wages.
The Spotted Cow, in Holbrook, was bought by villagers
Later in the month, the Government released further details as to who would be eligible to receive such payments.
But worryingly for the Spotted Cow's owners, the Government stated that those entitled to receive payments needed to be on the employer's PAYE payroll system on February 28.
Pub owners Holbrook Community Society say this was not the case as its employees at the time were on a different PAYE system because the pub was run by the previous tenants.
It means the pub is now facing an anxious wait and is seeking clarity on whether its staff can be paid. Around a dozen staff members at the pub are affected.
For now, affected staff have been told that they could go on the Job Retention Scheme but with no guarantee they will be paid from it or they will be made redundant.
Stephanie Limb, secretary of Holbrook Community Society said: "It's a heartbreaking situation as we just don't know what we are facing – our situation is unique and we are waiting for a definitive answer.
"We've even asked our local MP on it and he said he is stumped by it.
"It's so difficult to be telling our staff this as they've worked so hard. But we can't afford to go under. We are hoping for a positive outcome."
The pub has also highlighted its issues on its Twitter page and called on the help of TV money expert Martin Lewis and high-profile politicians.
A Government spokesman told Derbyshire Live new guidance on the issue would be released soon. Details over what that guidance includes is not yet known.
The Spotted Cow had its lights turned off and its doors locked in 2014 and campaigners decided to fight to buy their pub. In 2016, it was declared an asset of community value.
A total of 225 investors joined forces to buy the building and a car park for £275,000.