Scottish Deer Centre workers ‘cruelly’ ditched by employer

Workers at a Fife tourist attraction have been “cruelly” ditched by their employer without the chance to furlough.

Five employees of the Scottish Deer Centre near Cupar were made redundant by owner Edinburgh Woollen Mill two days before the government’s announcement it would pay 80% of wages of workers laid off as a result of coronavirus.

Although this includes those already let go, the company has refused to re-employ the staff.

One of the workers affected said he had been cast aside by his employer, despite having been a well-regarded staff member popular with customers.

North East Fife MSP Willie Rennie appealed to Dubai-based billionaire Philip Day, company owner, to rethink the decision.

He said Mr Day, who also owns several other high street retailers including Peacocks and Jaegar, is a

“I am appealing to the company to have a change of heart for what... people would regard as a cruel decision. MSP WILLIE RENNIE

wealthy businessman worth more than £1 billion.

He said: “The five redundancies at Cupar could have been reversed without costing Philip Day a single penny, but the Edinburgh Woollen Mill still refused to budge. I am appealing to the company to have a change of heart for what all reasonable people would regard as a cruel decision.”

The five workers were among 37 employed at the deer centre’s animal park, shop and café, which are closed to the public in line with government advice. A quarter of the staff are still at work caring for the animals and the rest are on furlough.

However, a firm spokesman said that due to a downturn in trade the five made redundant could not be rehired.

He said: “We know those jobs aren’t going to come back.

“What we would have to do is rehire them to put them in furlough but in order to do that we would have to tell the government there is the potential for them to come back.”