French bakery and cafe group, Paul has introduced the mandatory National Living Wage early, ahead of the April deadline.
Paul, which operates 34 sites, says it will increase the starting hourly rate to £7.20 per hour, beginning 1 November. It confirmed that its team members can earn up to £8.90 per hour, reaching £9.60 per hour for supervisors.
Jean Michel Orieux, CEO of Paul UK said, ‘We see the introduction of this increase as extremely positive and are pleased to be one of the first companies in the UK to adopt it.
‘Anything that encourages people to take up a career in the hospitality industry can only be a good thing. By paying the April rate ahead of many other hospitality businesses, we are showing our commitment to our existing employees and are confident this will attract new people to the business.’
This year Paul opened its second restaurant, at Tower 42 in the City. The group plans to open a further seven bakeries over the next 12 months, including a second site in Birmingham at New Street station in November.