Musician Ed Sheeran and his business partner and manager Stuart Camp’s shared Notting Hill bar might be closed during lockdown, but the pair are continuing to ensure its staff are being looked after.
A representative for Sheeran confirmed that he would not be accessing “any government scheme” including the furlough scheme, with various outlets claiming that he would be ‘using his personal fortune’ to pay the bar’s ten employees wages over this period.
Rather than applying to the government’s furlough scheme - which would see furloughed employees earn 80% of their wages on taxpayers money - a representative for Sheeran told The Sun, “The business, co-owned by Ed Sheeran and Stuart Camp, is not, and will not, be accessing any government scheme of any kind, including furloughing, grants, loans and so on.”
Sheeran and Camp’s bar Bertie’s Blossoms opened in September 2019. It was reported previously that Sheeran would continue to pay the wages of bar staff while the venue was closed and additionally told them they could find other jobs or volunteer during lockdown.
Other celebrities such as Victoria Beckham have been criticised for accessing the government furlough scheme to pay reduced salaries to employees of their businesses, while others like Prince Charles have opted to find private funding for the salaries of his staff during the lockdown period.
The bar venture is a small piece of Sheeran’s huge financial portfolio, which includes numerous properties and touring profits from his record-breaking Divide tour.
Forbes revealed last year that Sheeran was the highest-paid Brit on its Celebrity 100 rich list, with an estimated net worth of around £170 million.
Sheeran has reportedly donated £1 million to charities and organisations operating in Suffolk (where he lives) - including a children’s ward at a Suffolk hospital.
A source told The Sun, “He has split a seven-figure sum between local charities to try to ease the strain on his local community. Ed is very involved in the area and knows that his donations will make a massive difference."
