Former staff at Orwell Hotel in Felixstowe 'owed £22,000'

Jenny Riddell-Carpenter, MP for Suffolk Coastal, said she met 13 former employees at the Orwell Hotel in Hamilton Road in Felixstowe who say they are owed a combined £22,000 in wages.

In February, this newspaper reported how former employees had posted on Facebook's Felixstowe community pages about how they had not been paid since last Christmas.

READ MORE: Staff posted on Facebook about Orwell Hotel in Felixstowe

One former staff member, who did not wish to be named, said: "I gave up Christmas with my family to get them through a tough time. I worked myself sick and all for nothing."

Another said: "Many had to leave because wages were not being paid or delayed. I am devastated this is what has happened."

At the time, Zishan Zaman, who co-owned the hotel, said five former members of staff had been paid the money they were owed.

The Orwell Hotel in Felixstowe is one of the oldest hotels in Suffolk (Image: Submitted) Commenting on the situation, Mrs Riddell-Carpenter said: "Last week I met with 13 former employees of the Orwell Hotel who all have wages owed to them by the Orwell Hotel.

READ MORE: Staff at Felixstowe Orwell Hotel claim still owed money

“These 13 former employees are owed a combined total of nearly £22,000.

“One of the former employees who has been in contact with me and who has recently retired, is owed thousands of pounds by the hotel and despite an employment tribunal ruling in his favour, the Orwell Hotel has not made the required payment.

“I find this deeply concerning and I have written to the Orwell Hotel letting them know my concerns and that I will be giving my constituents my full support in their quest to receive the monies owed to them.”

READ MORE: Felixstowe news

Felixstowe mayor David Rowe was also concerned about the situation.

He said: “I am appalled at the way the Orwell Hotel has treated its staff, owing them thousands of pounds in wages.

"The company cannot be allowed to get away with such treatment and I am delighted that the MP Jenny Riddell-Carpenter is fighting on their behalf to get them the wages they are owed."

Nobody from the hotel was available for comment.