A TOURISM and events business just north of the border said it is proud to announce that it has officially become accredited as a ‘living wage employer’.

Gretna Green, the name of a business that is a hugely popular wedding venue and events space, said its living wage commitment sees all employees receive a minimum hourly wage of £11 per hour, above the UK’s living wage requirement of £10.90.

The rate is also higher than the national living wage for over 23s - £10.42.

Employers choose to pay the ‘real living wage’ on a voluntary basis, and the accreditation is awarded by the Scottish government.

Since 2011 the living wage movement has delivered a pay rise to over 60,000 people in Scotland and put over £370million extra into the pockets of low-paid Scottish workers, according to Living Wage Scotland, a non-profit funded by the Scottish government that aims to get more employers to pay the living wage.

Isabel Rhodes, CEO of Gretna Green said: “This is an extremely proud moment for the business becoming an accredited living wage employer.

“Recognising the fantastic contribution our colleagues make in the business, in April this year, we moved our base rate of pay to £11 per hour for all employees aged 18 and above, joining the growing movement of employers in Scotland who put their people first.”