A CITY centre pub has offered shifts to staff affected by the closure of Virgin Hotels Glasgow. 

We previously reported that around 150 employees at the hotel were told they were being made redundant with immediate effect yesterday (December 19) just days before Christmas.

Former staff also claim they have not yet been told if they will be paid for time worked.

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Now, Grace's Irish Sports Bar has offered shifts to some of the affected staff over the festive period. 

In a post shared on Facebook, bosses at the Merchant City pub wrote: "We are saddened to hear of the situation at Glasgow’s Virgin Hotel and the position many of the staff will find themselves in this Christmas.

"The team at Grace’s Glasgow are in a position to offer shifts for a certain amount of FOH [front of house] and bar staff to help them through to the New Year.

"Email us at hello@gracesglasgow.com and we would be happy to help."

Customers took to the comments to praise the pub for the offer. 

One person wrote: "Amazing, well done."

Another said: "Fantastic gesture, well done Grace's." 

A third person added: "Classy gesture, well done and good luck to everyone that's looking for work."

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Virgin Hotel Glasgow is closing just four months after opening as Lloyds Development Limited, which owns the building, was forced to enter administration earlier this month.

Virgin Group offered to purchase the hotel but it was not accepted by lenders. 

A spokesperson for Virgin Hotels said:  "Lloyds Developments Limited – the owner of Virgin Hotels Glasgow, which Virgin Hotels has a management contract with – has financial problems and on December 1 its lenders put it into administration.   

"As a result, the directors of V Hotel Glasgow Ltd, the employer and operating company in respect of the hotel, are being advised by FRP Advisory LLP as they place that company into liquidation.  

"These financial issues mean that the hotel cannot continue operating and now has to close."  

They added: “Virgin Group tried to find solutions, including offering to purchase the hotel, to keep the hotel open, keep the team in employment and ensure the completion of the development of the hotel, creating something Glasgow could be proud of.  

"Unfortunately, the lenders have not accepted Virgin's offers and intend to pursue a sales process with the hotel closed. 

"Virgin Hotels is very disappointed by this decision after the hard work everyone has put into the hotel and because of the impact it will have on the team that works there.

“Virgin Hotels' heartfelt thanks and gratitude are to those employees, suppliers and guests who have been integral to the hotel’s launch in the City of Glasgow.    

“The Virgin Hotels team continues to have great ambitions for managing the hotel in Glasgow and looks forward to re-opening once a new owner is in place. 

"No other Virgin hotel is impacted – all other Virgin Hotels remain open and operating as normal as all Virgin Hotels are independently owned."