Edward Christopher Sheeran, MBE (born 17 February 1991) is an English singer-songwriter. In early 2011, Sheeran independently released the extended play, No. 5 Collaborations Project. After signing with Asylum Records, his debut album, + (pronounced "plus"), was released in September 2011. It topped the UK and Australian charts, reached number five in the US, and has since been certified eight-times platinum in the UK.
The album contains the single "The A Team", which earned him the Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically. In 2012, Sheeran won the Brit Awards for Best British Male Solo Artist and British Breakthrough Act. "The A Team" was nominated for Song of the Year at the 2013 Grammy Awards, where he performed the song with Elton John.
He's continuing to pay the wages of staff at London's Bertie Blossoms Ed Sheeran has supported staff at his London bar by refusing to furlough them during the coronavirus crisis.
The singer is a part owner of the Notting Hill haunt Bertie Blossoms, alongside longtime manager Stuart Camp. Despite closing its doors in March to prevent the spread of Covid-19, Sheeran and Camp have ensured that their employees – including waiters, bar staff, chefs and kitchen assistants – won’t be out of work for the foreseeable future.
The business has turned down the chance to furlough staff using the new scheme which sees the government paying 80% of an individual’s salary, and the company having the option of paying out the additional 20%.
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