Furious Harrods staff protest outside famous store demanding they are paid more tips

PROTESTERS barricaded the doors of Harrods this afternoon as staff claimed the Kightsbridge store keeps up to 75 per cent of staff's tips.

People carried banners demanded the famous store "stop stealing our tips" as part of the dispute.



The United Voices of the Worlds union (UVM) claims restaurant and cafe workers lose out on £5,000 of tips each year.

Staff are now demanding that they receive 100 per cent of the service charge.

Photos and videos of the protest showed a large group of people gathered outside the store in London, carrying large banners as police officers are stationed nearby.

Two people were arrested during the protest today, the Metropolitan Police said.

An 18-year-old man and a 51-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and assault on police.

In a video obtained by the Daily Mirror, Petras Elia, general secretary of the union, said: "The first of what could be a long string of protests until Harrods stops stealing the tips from their waiters.




"At the moment, the service charge, which is added to bills and which diners pay, comes to about £3.5million per year, more or less.

"Of that £3.5million, more or less, Harrods keeps around 75 per cent. So £2.5-£2.75million a year, which should be going to their chefs and waiters, and where the diners think the money is actually going, actually ends up in the pockets of the Qatari Royal Family."

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He added the store should "know better" and said the union demanded the practice stopped with the money going to the servers.

The protest grew so large police officers became involved and one person on Twitter reported protesters clashed with other employees.

Harrods is owned by the Qatar Investment Authority and is made up of 16 restaurants and cafes among the store.

The union had encouraged people to get involved in the protest today on a Facebook page.

A spokesperson for Harrods told Mirror: "Harrods currently employs over 450 employees in its 16 restaurants, all of whom are paid fairly and above national living wage.


"Like many businesses in the hospitality sector, Harrods operates a Tronc system on behalf of its restaurant employees.

"The Tronc system manages the distribution of the service charge only.

"Employees are not required to accept any deduction in their salary in order to participate in the Tronc system.

"Harrods regularly revisits its policies to ensure that we best serve our employees and has been taking steps over recent months to review and improve the current system through which it distributes its service charge.

"We have been engaging with our staff directly on this issue”.

Last month celebrity chef Michel Roux Jr denied taking his staff's tips at his Michelin-starred restaurant after becoming embroiled in a tips row.

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