Wetherspoons manager to receive payout after being fired over half-price chicken

A Wetherspoons manager was unfairly sacked for giving a colleague a 50 per cent staff discount on an “excessively” large portion of food, a tribunal has ruled.

- JANE DALTON

Peter Castagna-Davies was dismissed after letting a kitchen worker have 50 per cent off a meal of halloumi fries, chicken and Monster energy drinks.

The “diligent” manager, who had worked at the pub chain for more than 20 years with a clean record, was working as a bar shift leader at The Pontlottyn in Abertillery, Monmouthshire, when the incident happened, an employment tribunal heard.

On 31 January last year, he scanned through an “excessive” meal of two portions of each item, with a 50 per cent discount, for a colleague, the hearing was told.

The colleague took the food home to eat, which was in breach of company policy, the tribunal heard. Staff had been told they may buy food at a 50 per cent discount only for themselves and to eat at the pub. If they wanted to take food home, they were allowed a discount of only 20 per cent.