Trendy pub group MacMerry launches investigation after complaints of 'rampant' health and safety issues

A Trendy pub chain has received more than 60 complaints relating to poor practice and ill treatment of staff - including claims they did not deal with sexual misconduct matters and Covid outbreaks.

Bosses from MacMerry 300 met with union reps to discuss a litany of grievances lodged by employees earlier this month. The MacMerry chain, run by Phil Donaldson and AJ McMenemy, includes Dundee bars the Draffens, the Bird and Bear, and the Luchador in Glasgow.The two entrepreneurs also run the Abandon Ship bars in Glasgow and Dundee with Richard Davies.

The Record has previously detailed how more than 70% of their current workforce signed the collective grievance accusing the firm of breaching health and safety and Covid rules, not paying staff properly and of sexual impropriety by several staff.

In the days after the complaint was lodged, Mr Donaldson publicly accused the union of trying to drive the firm out of business and urged staff not to turn out at rallies in support of the workers.But the Record can now reveal that some of the claims against the group include:- staff were asked to conceal positive covid tests and attend shifts while awaiting results.- staff were exposed to potential carbon monoxide poisoning from faulty equipment- chefs were at working in 40C+ heat due to poor kitchen ventilationThe Record has seen photographic evidence of poor hygiene, soaring temperatures in fridges and kitchens, and correspondence between company bosses that suggests safety issues went unaddressed for months.In one communication sent in March 2020, Mr McMenemy says of the faulty fire door: “We are knowingly endangering the lives of the public and have been in contravention since it was made known to us in July [2019].”And an end