Moseley hotel owner to pay £17,000 compensation  

A local Moseley hotel owner has been ordered to pay nearly £17,000 in compensation after losing a claim for unfair dismissal.

Roland Luckman, owner of the 17-bedroom Gables hotel in Oxford Road dismissed Veronica Jones of Yardley Wood in August 2008. Mrs Jones had worked at The Gables hotel for three years and claimed that Mr Luckman told her to “get off her fat backside and do some work” after claiming that he discovered Mrs Jones watching television but he insisted he made the remark because Mrs Jones had not "bottled up" or cleaned the tables. He also alleged she was rude back to him. Mr Luckman denied sacking her saying that she left and that he later asked her to return to work.

Chairman of the tribunal panel Ron Hutchinson said they preferred the evidence of Mrs Jones. He said she had a disabled husband and was unlikely to have walked out on her job due to her domestic situation. Mrs Jones claimed unfair dismissal, unpaid wages, holiday and notice pay.
Mr Luckman is considering an appeal.