Noel Edmonds sacks winery staff without notice

The Deal or No Deal presenter, who has permanent residence in New Zealand, has come under fire for allegedly firing 17 staff at his winery and pub with just a day’s notice.

Workers at Noel Edmonds’ River Haven winery are said to have been “blindsided” when Edmonds terminated their employment out of the blue after deciding to shut up shop for winter.

The staff involved were confused given that Edmonds, who moved to New Zealand in 2019, had only recently asked them for their ideas on how to keep the business going during the winter months.

Speaking to The Sun, one former employee said: “At 4pm on Saturday 27 April, one of the managers took a group of us into a back room and said ‘Tomorrow is your last day.” The next day Noel appeared and was cracking jokes, there was no apology. No one has been told anything about future work. It’s disgusting.”

A notice on River Haven’s website says that staff are taking “a well-earned break over winter”.

It is unclear whether the staff in question were permanent or seasonal workers.

It is not the first time Edmonds has butted head with residents in his adopted neighbourhood of Ngātīmoti near Motueka in New Zealand’s South Island.

In August 2023 he became embroiled in a dispute with his local council after he was asked to consider the possibility of allowing a cycling trail to pass through his land rather than along a highway. Edmonds was told the trail could bring “thousands” of visitors to his winery each year but he allegedly refused, calling the idea dangerous and a waste of money.

According to Belinda Crisp, a contractor to the local council, Edmonds pointed at her and a colleague saying: “You two need your heads cut off and your brains replaced’.

Continuing his rant he told them: “You are not welcome here. Don’t even think about having a coffee, having a slice … you are our enemies.”

According to River Haven Vineyard’s Instagram, both the wine estate and its affiliate pub ‘The Bugger Inn’ is children and dog friendly. “However, both must be on leads at all times!”

 

 

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