Fretwell wins case against Pret founder

03 May 2002 by
Fretwell wins case against Pret founder

A senior chef has won his unfair dismissal case against Julian Metcalfe, founder of both the Pret A Manger sandwich shop chain and the Itsu sushi restaurants in London.

Clive Fretwell, who had worked for 14 years at Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons in Oxfordshiire, told an employment tribunal he had been recruited in 1988 to help develop a chain of Itsu restaurants.

He said the intention had been to give him a 2.5% founding stake in the business and an additional 10% in two years, with the possibility of "big money" if it were sold.

When a second outlet, which opened two years later, failed to live up to expectations, Fretwell claimed he became aware that Metcalfe and Itsu co-director Clive Schlee were trying to get rid of him.

He said he was told last July that the company could not afford his salary and he was dismissed in August.

The sum of compensation agreed was undisclosed.

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