News / Propyard
Propyard owner apologises for not paying staff
Staff, artists, promoters and agents have not been paid by one of Bristol’s biggest venues.
The owner of Propyard has responded to accusations, apologising to people left out of pocket and saying that he is “working hard to resolve ongoing issues”.
Over the past week, Bristol24/7 has received multiple statements from groups of employees at various levels of the business, claiming that “over the last two months, all staff from Propyard were denied pay”.
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Propyard owner, James Joiner, was apparently “aware of his financial mess and could have done many things to avoid this, yet he did not”.
A general statement from a group of ex employees at the venue in St Philip’s Marsh claims that “staff have been eating at food banks, lost their housing and entered mental health crises”.
There have also allegedly been unmet promises from Joiner of welfare payments “to get people through”.
Club Blanco at Propyard in 2022 – photo: Sam Roberts
One ex member of the Propyard bar staff told Bristol24/7 that on new year’s eve, they had to work a 17-hour shift across two different venues in order to “pay the credit card bills I’ve had to incur as I’m still owed over two grand from James Joiner”.
A former bar and events manager, who also says they have been a “significant investor since December 2021”, claims that Propyard is facing “a dire financial crisis” and that they are awaiting the repayment of £45,000 of their investment, in addition to a £25,000 pay-out from a previous deal.
In an email to Bristol24/7, Joiner said: “We had a very difficult end to 2023 which I have been working hard to resolve.
“A successful New Year’s Eve has helped us to start to repay some of the monies that were owed and we can now begin to repay all the staff and suppliers who we are behind on payments to.
“A new ticketing deal, alongside investment & partnerships will deliver a more sustainable business model for 2024 bringing new events in a refurbished venue as well as our popular ones returning.
“I am very sorry for the position that we have put people in and that we are working hard to resolve ongoing issues.”
Main photo: Propyard
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