Independent restaurant and bar operator, Buzzworks Holdings, will close its entire business on Monday 4 October to introduce a new Wellbeing Day for its workforce.
The thirteen prestigious venues across Scotland will close their doors giving over 500 team members the opportunity to meet up, get to know each other in the great outdoors and take part in activities to help boost mental health and wellbeing.
Having built an upstanding reputation throughout Ayrshire and beyond for excellent food and customer service, Buzzworks is well known for supporting the communities it operates in as well as placing an emphasis on its team wellbeing. Thanks to a number of its mental health and wellbeing initiatives introduced over the past year, Buzzworks were recognised with the CIS Excellence Wellbeing in Hospitality Award in June.
During lockdown, the Buzzworks team raised £10k at their Lido Troon pop-up cafe. Half of this was donated to industry charity Hospitality Action, who assist those hospitality workers hardest hit by the pandemic, while the other half went towards the Buzzworks Staff Wellbeing fund. The company has doubled that total, giving their teams £10k towards next week’s Wellbeing Day.
Local teams on the ground were given free rein on how the funds should be spent, with the only premise being that the outcome will make people feel great and boost their wellbeing. Activities planned for next week range from treetop adventure courses, archery and mud runs, cycling around Millport, paintballing and crazy golf at Jungle Rumble.
Kenny Blair, Buzzworks Holdings MD, (pictured), said, “We love asking our people for suggestions on what else we can do to create a happy, positive environment that stays with them after they finish their shifts and head home.
'The introduction of a Wellbeing Day is just one part of an ongoing programme of initiatives that support our people in work and at home. The two are intertwined and it’s something we are always mindful of. Now more than ever, it’s important that we all look after our own wellbeing so we in turn can look after those that matter most to us.
“Throughout lockdown so many of our people gave back to the local community by volunteering - either raising money for charities or by giving back time and donations of hot food. Now it’s time for us to give back to them and reward our people with a day where roles are reversed, they are the guest and the focus is 100 per cent on them!”
As a way of giving back and saying thanks to its team for all their hard work this past year, the family-owned business will close every venue in its portfolio on Monday 4 October. The thirteen venues include Scotts in Troon, Largs and South Queensferry, Vic’s & The Vine in Prestwick, Lido venues in Prestwick and Troon, The Tree House in Ayr, The Long House and The Duke in Kilmarnock, The Mill House in Stewarton, The Corner House in Kilwinning, The Coach House in Bridge of Weir and their newest venue, The Bridge Inn in Linlithgow.
Buzzworks is currently ranked within The Sunday Times Best 100 Best Companies to work for in the UK for the fifth consecutive year.