A BUSINESS in Knutsford has been named and shamed for failing to pay their lowest paid staff the minimum wage.

Mere Golf & Country Club Limited is among 200 employers publicly disgraced by government for failing to pay their employees the minimum wage.

The leisure resort, which offers 81 luxury guest rooms, a championship golf club and gourmet dining, failed to pay £24,337.65 to 64 workers.

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In the investigation, 208 employers were found to have failed to pay their workers £1.2 million in a clear breach of National Minimum Wage law, leaving around 12,000 workers out of pocket.

Companies named range from multinational businesses and large high street names to small and medium enterprises and sole traders, in a clear message that no employer is exempt from paying their workers the statutory minimum wage.

Minister for labour markets Paul Scully said: "We want workers to know that we're on their side and they must be fairly treated by their employers, which is why paying the legal minimum wage should be non-negotiable for businesses.

"Businesses, whatever their size, should know better than to short-change hard working employees, regardless of whether it was intentional or not.

"With Christmas fast approaching, it's more important than ever that cash is not withheld from the pockets of workers.

"So don't be a scrooge - pay your staff properly."

Businesses named have since had to pay back what they owe to staff and also face significant financial penalties of up to 200 per cent of what was owed, which are paid to the government.

The investigations by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs concluded between 2014 and 2019.

Mere Golf & Country Club Limited was invited to make a statement but declined to comment.