A nightclub company has been ordered to pay thousands of pounds to former staff members who were made redundant after venues were closed during the pandemic.
NP Clubs Ltd, which managed a number of popular live venues and clubs in Newport, has been ordered to pay compensation, redundancy payments, holiday entitlements, wage deductions, pension contributions and damages to some former staff members by an employment tribunal.
Businessman Iftekhar 'Iffy' Harris, director of NP Clubs, announced the immediate closure of The Courtyard, Cotton Club, Blind Tiger, Mojos, and The Lounge, all located on Cambrian Road in the city, in October 2020. At the time Mr Harris, who has managed venues in Newport for over two decades, said his clubs were "making huge losses" and that it had become "impossible to continue." Both Courtyard and Blind Tiger later reopened under the name Bloc, with Mr Harris telling WalesOnline at the time he had leased the buildings to new investors to run day-to-day. That club announced its closure on December 31 last year.
