Corbin & King 'overwhelmed' by response to gift voucher appeal

In an email to customers, Corbin & King co-founder Jeremy King said the support and generosity of customers meant the company would be able to  top up the salaries for furloughed staff, who are currently being paid through the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (JRS), to the 80% they would receive if tronc had been included under the scheme. 

King has previously said that the Government’s decision to omit tronc payments from the JRS meant some staff were only receiving 40% of their usual monthly earnings while furloughed.  

“I can’t tell you enough just how much this has meant to all of us,” he says in the email.

“It has given the staff such a fillip and some hope in the most trying of circumstances.

“We will be forever grateful.”

Corbin & King launched its gift voucher appeal​​ less than two weeks ago as way to offer greater support for its staff during and after the Coronavirus pandemic.

It asks customers to consider buying dining vouchers or credit in advance, with 50% of the takings going directly to staff.

In an impassioned video message released at the time of the appeal’s launch, King said the initiative had become necessary because of the expected protracted period of restaurant closures as a result of the UK lockdown, as well as the Government’s omission of including tronc in the JRS.

“We have done all we can and have topped up wages but money is running out quickly,” he said. 

“With the restaurant lockdown threatening to be much longer, we can’t continue to do so otherwise we jeopardise the company’s future.”

The vouchers, which can still be purchased through the group’s various restaurant websites, have no expiry date, and are available for use in any Corbin & King restaurant.