A café owner has defended himself against claims of a toxic work culture, bullying, and unpaid wages made by former employees.

Former staff members at a Muffin Break branch at Manor Walks, Cramlington told The Northern Echo of a culture of bullying at the café, with some saying they have tried to erase their time working there from their mind.

But the owner of the franchise, who also runs venues in Middlesbrough and Washington, has insisted that all of their practices are “legal and moral” and that there is no toxic culture at the café.

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One member of staff, Holly Fraser, 20, who worked at the franchise for just three months up to November 2022 said: “I’d just left a bar job and was looking for something full time when I applied for a job at Muffin Break.

“It’s the worst job I’ve had. There was a toxic culture and bullying from the older staff that wasn’t dealt with.

“I needed a couple of days off and put my holiday request in with enough time but they turned around and said I couldn’t have it off and I was never treated the same after that.

“When I needed to take a day off because I tested positive for Covid it was as if they thought I was lying and I was told I wouldn’t get any of my tips.”

Another former member of staff, Leanne Cann, 30, also told The Echo she was asked to go into work having tested positive for Covid-19.

Leanne said: “I was asked to go into work serving elderly customers while I still had Covid. It just didn’t feel right at all. ”

Former employee Lauren Johnson, 22, who worked for the company between October and December 2018, not long after the café first opened, added: “No one lasted very long – after a few months people had started leaving.”

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Staff members also claimed they were given an ultimatum of working shifts of leaving the business.

The café has taken down its social media channels following posts made online by former employees.

The Northern Echo: Muffin Break Cramlington franchise owner Bill Bentham. Photo dated March 2014.Muffin Break Cramlington franchise owner Bill Bentham. Photo dated March 2014. (Image: FILE PHOTO)

Bill Bentham, owner of the Cramlington Muffin Break franchise and a former police officer, told The Northern Echo:  “I don’t think that we have a toxic atmosphere at all. You can go and speak to members of staff who we have working for us and they will say that it’s quite the contrary. We try to make a decent, happy atmosphere for our staff.

“If there is someone in the business causing trouble we make an effort to try and sort it out.

“A year is a long time for someone to stay around in the catering industry and staff do come and go but we’ve had some staff who’ve been with us a long time.

“In relation to Holly’s holiday she said she wanted five days off then wanted to extend it by two days and we were simply unable to cover the extra shifts.

“It’s part of our employee’ contracts that if they leave without working their notice period they will sacrifice wages. This is what happened in both of these cases. Everything we do is legally and morally right.

“It is no longer required that staff must stay off work if they have Covid.

“Our business is all about freshly baked goods, quality coffee and positive customer relations.”

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