DEVASTATED restaurant workers are facing a miserable Christmas after being left jobless when a Burger King outlet in Cambridge closed without warning.
Two months after horrified employees arrived at work on October 24 to find the St Andrew’s Street restaurant being boarded up by bailiffs, they are still owed thousands of pounds and have no idea why it closed.
Father-of-two Simak Pourteymour, 49, who managed the restaurant for nearly 25 years, said he was owed £40,000 in unpaid wages, holiday and redundancy money.
He said: “It is Christmas, and I have two kids and a grandchild - what am I supposed to do?
“I cannot work, I cannot sleep. I have staff crying on the phone to me every day. What am I supposed to tell them? They are very hurt deep down.”
More than 25 other workers were affected by the sudden closure of the restaurant, run by franchisee Instant Foods.
After 15 years’ employment as assistant manager, Imam Khan, who has three children - including a newborn baby - said he did not receive his P45 for four weeks, and is still looking for work.
“How can I say to my kids I can’t afford to buy them presents?” he said. “I’m already behind on my mortgage.
“I have now realised after 15 years we were slaves. We were like a family - they should let us know what is going on. I haven’t been through town yet. I can’t face the customers - what can I tell them?
I’m just devastated.
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