A WORCESTER restaurant is in support of new bill that would force businesses to hand over all tips to their staff.

Several pledges have been made in recent years to stop employers making deductions from money left for their staff by customers, although legislative action has failed to materialise.

However, a new Tips Bill has been brought forward by Conservative MP Dean Russell in a bid to make progress on the issue and put protections in law.

Rosie Willmott of Chester’s Restaurant and Bar in New Street said: “We fully support the Bill, its the way we already operate and actually I think most small independents would say the same. It’s the large chain restaurants that tend to have tips policies that benefit the corporation rather than the staff.

“Tips should always go to the staff that worked for them, and for the minimum wage workers particularly -they can be such an important boost to their earnings.

The Bill would prohibit employers from retaining tips intended for staff and also enable arrangements to be made about how tips are divided between staff.

Mr Russell, MP for Watford, told the PA said: “When we look at the role that many people have when working in bars or restaurants and so on, the tips are often seen as part of the salary in a way – rightly or wrongly.

“It’s always felt wrong to me that businesses can take the tips that have been given by the customer directly to that individual or to the staff for businesses to go ‘Well, actually, that’s part of the payment for what they’re getting’.”

Mr Russell also said there is a need to support the hospitality sector given its struggles during the coronavirus pandemic, and this includes helping staff via a tips guarantee.

A Government consultation launched in 2015 found restaurant customers were overwhelmingly in favour of the tips they paid going to the people who served them.