Staff 'extremely anxious' as Wyboston Lakes Resort announce 25% job cuts

The 380-acre resort - which is home to two conference venues, a 4-star hotel, spa and a golf course - employs nearly 300 people, with up to 75 jobs at risk.

The firm says its suffered a "devastating impact" after the government ordered hospitality and leisure industries to close in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Wyboston Lakes Resort has "with great regret and disappointment" now announced it is in redundancy talks.

One staff member, who did not wish to be named, said: "Consultation talks are starting once our reps have been elected.

"They won’t say which roles are going, just that 25% of us are leaving and people are extremely anxious.

"All of us staff are at risk, excluding the directors. We are supposed to be impressed by the directors just taking a 1% pay cut!"

Steve Jones, managing director of Wyboston Lakes, said: "We’re sad to have reluctantly had to make this difficult decision whereby we may have to say goodbye to around 25 per cent of our team.

“We’ve had to take this action to keep the business viable and protect the jobs of at least 75 percent of our workforce for both the short and longer term.

"At the beginning of March, as this situation was emerging, all of the directors voluntarily took a substantial cut in their salaries which remains in place.

"The shareholders have not taken a dividend for almost five years as they have allowed all profits to be reinvested in upgrading the facilities for our guests.

"As we start to reopen we will have some form of social distancing in place and many events have postponed until next year or cancelled altogether.

"With our income dramatically reduced over the last three months and for many months to come, like nearly all hospitality and events organisations through the UK, we have been forced to reduce our costs accordingly to ensure we remain in business.

"We have put together a welfare and re-recruitment package where we are assisting anyone who sadly has to leave us, as well as helping those who return to us, if business levels start to rise in 2021.

"Our priorities are protecting as much employment as we possibly can, maintaining the high standards of cleanliness and service we are known for and getting back to growth in a shortest possible time frame, so we can start re-hiring."