Levi Roots' Caribbean Smokehouse pioneers real Living Wage

The restaurant run by Dragons' Den winner Levi Roots, in Westfield, London, has been accredited as a real Living Wage employer.

The real Living Wage (in London) is currently set at £9.75 per hour. The Levi Roots Caribbean Smokehouse has signed up to pay the real Living Wage to all 50 employees, regardless of whether they are permanent employees or third-party contractors.

The current national minimum wage is set at £6.95 per hour for employees aged between 20- 24, and £7.20 for those aged 25 and over.

Roots said: "Our business model for Levi Roots Caribbean Smokehouse was always to make sure that every employee is paid at least the real London Living Wage. It's fabulicious that this has been publicly recognised by our Living Wage Employer accreditation, just in time for our first birthday celebrations."

Living Wage Foundation director Katherine Chapman said: "It is fantastic that Levi Roots is signing up to pay the real Living Wage and showing leadership on tackling low pay in the restaurant sector.

"It joins a growing movement of nearly 3,000 organisations who want to pay more than the legal minimums on pay because they recognise the value their staff add to the organisation, and the difference the real Living Wage makes to people's lives. We hope Levi Roots' example will encourage many more restaurants to sign up."

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