Ex-Christopher's staff could win £70,000 payout from Thistle

Thirty-two former employees of Christopher's restaurant in London's Victoria could win up to £70,000 between them in back pay following an employment tribunal hearing last week.

Restaurateur Christopher Gilmour opened the 140-seat eaterie and 100-capacity bar within the Thistle hotel at Victoria railway station in September 2000.

But after a furious row with Thistle the venture was terminated last July.

Gilmour claimed at the time that the hotel group had become "too greedy" when renegotiating his contract. He also accused Thistle of "aggressive cost-cutting".

According to Gilmour, Thistle had promised to take on all of his employees if the arrangement should come to an end. But after they parted company, the hotel group failed to do this, he said.

Instead staff were told to reapply for their jobs at the restaurant, which was renamed Harvard Bar & Grill.

A preliminary hearing was held last week in Croydon, south London, but a final decision could take two to three months.

If the tribunal rules against Thistle, the hotel company may have to pay £60-£70,000 in back pay and could face further claims for unfair dismissal, said Gilmour.

Thistle said they payout was more likely to be in the region of £35,000 but otherwise declined to comment on the case.

• The closure in Victoria did not affect Gilmour's original Covent Garden restaurant, Christopher's American Grill, or his Enterprise pub-restaurant in Chelsea. The restaurateur said he was now looking at various new sites, including one in the Victoria area. "Something's due to happen very soon," he added.

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