Piers Morgan has hit out at Sports Direct owner Mike Ashley and Wetherspoons boss Tim Martin for their actions during the Covid-19 crisis.
An investigation by the PA news agency revealed that Mr Ashley’s Sports Direct hiked prices by more than 50% on some sports equipment on Tuesday in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain today, Piers Morgan asked ‘What is it about Sports Direct that they don’t get that doing something for your country doesn’t mean fleecing people?’
And earlier this week, Wetherspoon CEO Tim Martin sparked fury as he said closing pubs was ‘over the top’ in spite of warnings from the government’s chief scientific adviser that they are a breeding ground for the virus.
Mr Martin said that a ‘sensible balance’ was for pubs to implement ‘social distancing’ measures, like no standing at the bar, using cards and sitting at separate tables.
Speaking about the Wetherspoon boss, Piers Morgan said: ‘Why don’t you just shut up as well? We’ve had enough of you telling everyone to go to the pub.
‘It makes me puke, these multi-millionaires treating their customers and their staff in this derisory way.’
Speaking on Good Morning Britain today, Piers Morgan asked ‘What is it about Sports Direct that they don’t get that doing something for your country doesn’t mean fleecing people?’
Mr Morgan added: ‘We will remember the companies which stepped up, took care of their employees and their customers, and we’ll remember the ones who abused their employees, made them work when they weren’t essential and who abused their customers with this kind of outrageous fleecing.
‘And I don’t want to hear from Sports Direct about any explanation that justifies this.
‘We know what you did, you’ve been exposed, and you should just shut your stores, and frankly, if after this you’re still doing business, well good luck to the customers that forgive you for this because I won’t, I think that’s disgusting.’
Wetherspoons closed all its pubs on Friday after Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered sites to shut until further notice due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Mr Martin sent a video to all staff on Monday evening, telling them he will pay employees until the pubs last opened, but there will be no further payments until the Government fulfils its promise to cover 80% of the wages of workers affected.
An anonymous student who worked part time for the company said: ‘It’s absolutely outrageous.
‘The thing with Tim Martin is that bad press doesn’t make him change his tune as he knows that people will always go to Wetherspoons because of the low prices.
‘I do think though that people need to see that he has contacted his staff and not once mentioned staying safe or our health.’
Speaking about the Wetherspoon boss, Piers Morgan said: ‘Why don’t you just shut up as well? We’ve had enough of you telling everyone to go to the pub’
In Mr Martin’s video, he suggested staff should find employment elsewhere while the pubs are closed.
He also sent updated information about the company’s bonus scheme – which was due to be paid out on Friday – saying no payments will be made until the reopening of the pubs.
The anonymous student said: ‘The consensus is that it’s just a big slap in the face and that he’s acting like it’s a hard time for him whilst he’s sitting on millions of pounds and the majority of us are struggling as we are weekly paid.
‘So to be told that basically we have to wait until the end of April to see any money, when he could very easily cover our wages until then at the very least, is so insulting.’
Shannon, 23, who has a young child and is pregnant with her second, and also has heart problems and asthma, was a full-time employee but is worried about the livelihood of her young family.
She said: ‘I’m seen as in the high-risk/vulnerable category, I wouldn’t get many people employing a pregnant woman in normal circumstances never mind just now.
‘Without my regular weekly pay, it’ll be almost impossible to keep my house going.
‘It also stops me preparing for a new baby, which is a massive stress as it is, as I’ve had a lot of health problems during my pregnancy. I now have to work out what to do to fund for myself and my child.’
An investigation by the PA news agency revealed that Mr Ashley’s Sports Direct hiked prices by more than 50% on some sports equipment on Tuesday in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic
The company said it believes its actions ‘are responsible and sensible in the difficult circumstances’ and criticised a ‘complete misinterpretation of what Wetherspoon said’ in press reports.
Wetherspoons spokesman Eddie Gershon said: ‘Wetherspoon sent a video by the chairman Tim Martin, a letter from chief executive John Hutson and other information to all employees.
‘In those communications it made clear that all employees would get paid this Friday for all work carried out until the pubs shut.
‘After that, the company would utilise the Government ‘furlough’ scheme, which pays 80% of wages, details of which are in the course of being finalised between licensed trade representatives and the Government at the present time.
‘As we understand it, tens of thousands of hospitality workers and others have already lost their jobs, but Wetherspoon is retaining all its employees, using the Government scheme for the purpose for which it is intended.’
Another of Mr Ashley’s Frasers Group retailers, Jack Wills, was forcing staff into stores despite Government advice to stay at home unless you are an ‘essential’ worker, employees said.
Frasers had previously tried to claim Sports Direct was an essential operator for keeping the nation fit, but subsequently said it would close stores.
After a public backlash the stores, along with Evans Cycles, were closed.
In one message sent to staff on Tuesday morning, the company wrote ‘we will not open our Sports Direct or Evans Stores to the public’ and it carries on ‘please continue to head into work as we have been instructed last night’.
And on Tuesday, Sports Direct also sent a document to staff, which shows the lines that should have price rises applied.
Because the company operates a system of having ‘ticket’ prices, followed by ‘reduced’ stickers, it can be unclear what price a product was ever sold at.
Pricing documents show that an Everlast 4kg kettle bell has gone up from £9.99 to £14.99 – although the sticker will still say the ‘original’ ticket price was £19.99.
The cost of a 12kg kettle bell by Everlast, which is owned by Sports Direct’s parent company Frasers Group, is now £39.99, up from £29.99.
Slazenger, Lonsdale and several other well-known brands are owned by Frasers.
Wetherspoon CEO Tim Martin sparked fury as he said closing pubs was ‘over the top’ in spite of warnings from the government’s chief scientific adviser that they are a breeding ground for the virus
The Competition and Markets Authority, which has told companies not to hike prices, reminded businesses of their responsibilities.
A competition watchdog spokesperson said: ‘We have already warned all traders not to exploit the current situation through unjustifiable prices.
‘Our new Covid-19 taskforce is reviewing evidence of harmful sales or pricing practices, and we will do whatever is required to stop a small minority of businesses that may seek to exploit the present situation.’
The increased prices come as Frasers Group, which includes House of Fraser, Jack Wills, Evans Cycles and Sports Direct, among others, was forced into a U-turn over store openings.
Chris Wootton, chief finance officer of Frasers Group, said its Sports Direct and Evans Cycles stores will not open on Tuesday.
He said in a ‘clarification’ that they will remain shut, despite stating that Government policy ‘excludes bicycle shops from closure’.
Stores will not reopen until ‘given the go-ahead by the Government’, he added.
But over at Jack Wills, one member of staff said that workers are sitting in stores waiting for instructions.
One said: ‘We feel like we’re putting ourselves and others at risk by not staying at home like the Government has told us to. I’ve got colleagues feeling frustrated and angry.
‘We feel disrespected by Mike Ashley’s decisions to try and keep the company trading. The lack of communication and plan when they knew this was likely is embarrassing.’
The retailer said it is contacting the Government ‘at all levels’ in an attempt to get confirmation from the Prime Minister.
It comes after politicians hit out at the business for its plan to keep stores open after Boris Johnson ordered non-essential shops to close, with Labour Party chairman Ian Lavery telling company majority owner Mike Ashley to ‘take some responsibility’ and ‘shut up shop’.
The group wrote to all workers within 30 minutes of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s decision to shut down non-essential retailers, telling them its position selling sporting and fitness equipment made it a vital asset during a national shutdown.
In the original letter, Mr Wootton said: ‘Against the backdrop of the closure of gyms the demand for these types of products has increased exponentially as the population looks to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
‘Consequently, we are uniquely well placed to help keep the UK as fit and healthy as possible during this crisis and thus our Sports Direct and Evans Cycles stores will remain open where possible to allow us to do this (in accordance with the Government’s current social distancing guidance).’
Labour MP Jess Phillips also criticised the appeal to keep stores open, tweeting: ‘Massive mugs notwithstanding there is nothing people cannot live without in Sports Direct.’
Rival retailers such as JD Sports have confirmed that stores will remain shut until Government guidance changes.