NO WORKERS at Newport’s Celtic Manor Resort are at risk of losing their jobs or being told to take unpaid leave, the hotel's owners have said, despite losing around £1m in bookings.

But “many employees” will be told to take paid leave on 80 per cent of their current salary or wages, the company has said.

Last week the Celtic Collection, which also includes the ICC Wales convention centre, announced it had lost around £1 million of conference bookings in the first half on March as events around Wales, the UK and the world were cancelled due to the spread of coronavirus.

All Celtic Collection hotels and facilities have been closed in line with government advice, though some rooms at the Coldra Court Hotel remain open for key workers.

The Celtic Manor's golf courses are currently open, but with safety and social-distancing restrictions in place.

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The company has called the outbreak "an incredibly challenging time" and said it was "doing all we can to sustain our business and team members". It employs 995 people across its hotel network.

The firm said it was "currently working through the details of adjusting employment".

This means "many employees" will be furloughed – asked to take a leave of absence – on 80 per cent of their current salaries or wages, under the UK government's Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

The firm said it welcomed the scheme and other support packages for businesses that were announced last week.

"The vital support – which the Celtic Collection lobbied hard to help achieve – will help our business absorb devastating losses as it closes operations in line with government advice," a spokesman for the Celtic Collection said today. "It means no jobs are at risk of redundancy at the present time, and no employee will be required to take unpaid leave."

A spokesman for the firm said changes to zero-hours contracts at the resort were "not really applicable".

"We do engage some casual workers on a seasonal basis on large events," he said. "Obviously there are no large events at present."