Despite dire predictions and challenging conditions, one Glasgow-based hospitality business is looking to expand its workforce of real Living Wage employees.
Sprigg was founded in 2018 with a mission to help raise standards across the industry, setting benchmarks in a sector notorious for low wages and high staff turnover.
Now, with its highly anticipated third venue set to open at 31 Waterloo Street early next year, the firm is beginning a recruitment drive for six new members of its team — bringing the total Sprigg team to more than 20.
During last week’s budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed the National Living Wage will increase from April 2025, rising from £11.44 to £12.21 an hour, prompting many hospitality leaders to make headlines with their fears for the sector.
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The real Living Wage — currently at £12.60 for workers aged 18 and over — is the only UK wage rate based on the cost of living. It is voluntarily paid by more than 15,000 UK businesses who believe their staff deserve a wage which meets everyday needs, like the weekly shop, or a surprise trip to the dentist.
As well as being an accredited real Living Wage Employer since day one, the firm guarantees paid breaks, pension contributions, and no zero-hour contracts.
To mark Living Wage Week (4-10 November), Employment Minister Thomas Arthur MSP visited Sprigg as founder Tom McDermott doubled down on his commitment to fair employment practices.
He said: “It will be a tough time for employers, but we believe working in hospitality shouldn’t mean instability or low pay. We’re building a business that’s not just good for our customers but also good for our employees and the community – and everything we do is a reflection of that.
“We’re facing the biggest cost of labour challenge in hospitality’s modern history, but I’m determined to prove that you can grow a successful business while treating your staff with the respect and support they deserve. We nearly lost the business during Covid and again in late 2022, but we came out of that stronger and we never wavered from our commitment to ensuring our people are paid fairly for the work they do.”
Since 2020, the firm has utilised the remote video interview platform Willo to improve the candidate experience, reducing the need for people to book time off their existing work or undergo unnecessary travel to the city centre.
The platform allows potential hires to submit pre-recorded interview answers, giving Sprigg a way to assess candidates efficiently and flexibly.
Tom added: “Finding the right personality to fit into a close-knit team with incredibly high standards is a challenge that Willo has helped us navigate. It saves time and allows us to see who our potential hires really are, beyond the nerves of a traditional interview setting.
“There’s an old saying: ‘How you do anything is how you do everything.’ From day one, we’ve aimed to create something different and be part of Glasgow’s community, contributing to the city in a meaningful way – from the service we provide to the food we serve to the environment we create for our team to how we recruit. “
The new venue on Waterloo Street completes a triangle of Sprigg stores in Glasgow city centre. Despite a drop in city centre footfall, Sprigg has grown from strength to strength, now serving more than 2,500 people per week across its shops on Sauchiehall Street and Ingram Street, with queues out the door most days.
The firm is now on track for its first ever seven-figure turnover year as Glasgwegians continue to demonstrate an insatiable appetite for salad.
Their pioneering reusable bowl scheme, which has already prevented over 11,000 bowls from going to waste, and the new ordering app,, will both be utilised in the new venue.
