Mortons Rolls workers receive £1m payout two years after company collapse

Mortons Rolls workers are set to receive more than £1m in compensation two years after the bakers collapsed into administration.

The bakers, which has supplied baked goods including their famous morning rolls across Glasgow for decades, abruptly announced in March 2023 that the company had collapsed.

Hundreds of members of staff were told they would lose their jobs as a result.

However the factory in Drumchapel was saved days later after investors PVL took over ownership and control of the company’s assets, following negotiations with HMRC, administrators and the Scottish Government.

Around half of the workforce were called back to the factory following the rescue deal.

However a legal battle soon broke out, with Thompsons Solicitors Scotland fighting for compensation for around 100 staff caught up in the collapse of the business.

On Tuesday, the employment lawyer welcomed the UK Government payout following a near three-year battle for compensation in the courts, with the first half of the fund currently being distributed to workers.

Some employees are due a payout of more than £20,000.

Paul Kissen, from the law firm, said the payout will be a huge benefit to workers who suffered “terrible hardship”.

He said: “The men and women who worked for Mortons, many who had been there for decades, have really been through the mill. Firstly they were dismissed by the company’s previous owners in a way that saw them denied proper compensation. Then the UK Government tried to deny their responsibility to the staff which held up compensation for almost three years.

“So this victory has been hard won.”