Brighton i360 signed up to the Living Wage Campaign in Brighton & Hove today, making it one of the first major tourism attractions in the city to commit to paying its staff well over the minimum wage.
Said Eleanor Harris, CEO of Brighton i360, the 162m high attraction and venue being built on Brighton beach: “I’m doing this because to me it makes perfect sense. If we pay more to our staff, we will be able to attract the very best, against a lot of competition in a city where tourism-related employment accounts for 14% the workforce.
“Our team is growing fast already and when we launch the i360 in 2016, we will be running one of the top attractions in the UK. We want to attract and retain great people who are able to deliver outstanding customer service.
“If visitors have a fantastic experience when they visit us, they are more likely to recommend our attractions to friends and family and to share their positive experience on social media. We believe that paying decent wages will have a direct and positive impact on our bottom line.”
Eleanor Harris has huge experience of working with and managing staff at top UK destination businesses, including the London Eye, View from the Shard, the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Turner Contemporary, Royal Pavilion and Brighton Museums and many more.
She continued: “We will be investing in our staff training. For example, our pod host will be trained to deliver a professional tour commentary, to operate the pod and in first aid. Our team of engineers will be trained in the maintenance and safety checks for the tower and vertical cable car machinery. These are highly skilled jobs and we will want to retain our teams.”
Over 140 businesses, charities, social enterprises and public sector organisations have now signed up to the Brighton & Hove Living Wage Campaign, which is led and managed by Brighton & Hove Chamber of Commerce and funded by Brighton & Hove City Council and Public Service Board.
Next week, from 2nd – 8th November is Living Wage Week 2014 in the UK and businesses are being encouraged to sign up to the campaign at http://livingwagebrighton.co.uk/sign-up. Employers who sign up are committing to pay their employees £7.65 or more per hour, whilst the minimum wage is £6.50 per hour. Apprentices and interns are exempt. The Living Wage rate is reviewed annually in November. The next review will be announced on 3rd November 2014.
About Brighton i360
At 162 metres high, and with an observation pod rising to 138 metres, the i360 will be the tallest observation tower outside London, offering a new perspective on the fun loving seaside city of Brighton. Sited at the root end of the historic West Pier on Brighton’s seafront, the i360 has a slender, elegant design, with a futuristic pod allowing 200 visitors at a time to enjoy the surrounding view as it slowly unfolds. The visitor centre incorporates a 400 seat restaurant; a shop; exhibition space; and conference and event facilities.
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