Bar manager awarded £8,700 after successful unfair dismissal claim

A bar manager in Dundee has been awarded £8,700 by the Employment Tribunal in Dundee after the Tribunal ruled that she had been unfairly dismissed.

Mrs Linda Stirling began working at White’s Bar (owned by Hawkwire Ltd) in Provost Road, Dundee, in 2004. She was the bar manager for part of this period and remained an employee of the business through a number of changes of ownership, including when Hawkwire Ltd purchased the bar in 2012. Mrs Stirling was, however, dismissed on 8 December 2012, in circumstances which are not currently clear. She was not paid her notice pay when she was dismissed and subsequently made a claim to the Employment Tribunal for unfair dismissal, breach of contract and for the failure to pay accrued but unpaid annual leave.

Hawkwire Ltd did not contest the Employment Tribunal and default judgment was issued against the company earlier this year. A remedies hearing has subsequently been held and Mrs Stirling – who was achieved new employment since she was dismissed in December – was awarded £8,700.

It is unclear as to whether Mrs Stirling will be able to recover the whole or even part of her award in the Employment Tribunal, with Hawkwire Ltd being listed on Companies House as active but with an existing proposal to strike them off.