Thursday 12 May 2022 12:11 PM Carlsberg director sacked after having beers in London brewery during Covid ... trends now
A Carlsberg director was sacked after successfully organising a 'p**s up' in a brewery because it breached lockdown rules, an employment tribunal has heard.
Martin Entwistle invited eight friends for beers in the Taproom of Carlsberg's London Fields Brewery (LFB) in Hackney, north London, on 6 June 2020 despite strict Covid regulations having been enforced due to a 'vulnerable' member of staff.
An employment tribunal hearing, in Cambridge, was told that after dinner and drinks he gave his friends a late-night 'guided tour' of the London brewery which descended into 'boisterous, alcohol-fuelled horseplay'.
Their escapades were captured on CCTV and as a result he was told his behaviour was 'unbecoming' of a managing director and he was sacked for gross misconduct.
Mr Entwistle, who now runs online retailer All About The Beer, then brought claims of unfair dismissal and breach of contract against Carlsberg, saying enforced rules were put across on an email as 'nothing more' than 'guidelines'.
But the tribunal has now dismissed his claims - saying the regulations were 'clear and unmistakable' as mandatory rules and not voluntary guidance.
Mr Entwistle had worked as the Managing Director of Danish brewing company Carlsberg's LFB and Taproom in Hackney, north London.
In light of the Covid 19 pandemic, the company had introduced measures to reduce the risk of infection at the site.
At the time of the 'p**s up' on 6 June 2020, restrictions had just been lifted from a complete lockdown, with the public able to meet up to six people in an outdoor setting and only two people were allowed to meet indoors, in both cases while being socially distanced.
Carlsberg director Martin Entwistle (pictured) was sacked after organising a 'p**s up' in London Fields Brewery in Hackney because it breached lockdown rules, an employment tribunal has heard
Larger gatherings were only permitted for work purposes, provision of voluntary or charitable services or at an educational facility where the gathering is 'reasonably necessary' for the purposes of education.
Non-essential retail shops were not to open for another 11 days.
The tribunal also heard that in preparing for the return of a 'vulnerable' female member of staff - named only as 'K' - the company had detailed extra rules in an email sent to all employees.
The 'mandatory directives' enforced in June included 'no one' being allowed to enter the brewery area 'unless there is an emergency'.
The rules added: 'This includes when the Brew Team are not at work, and should generally be the case regardless.'
Their escapades in the Taproom (pictured) were captured on CCTV and as a result he was told his behaviour was 'unbecoming' of a managing director, and he was sacked for gross misconduct
The tribunal noted it showed no one was wearing
