The owner of an award-winning restaurant has shared his dismay after a group of ten diners refused to pay £350 of their £450 bill.
Tom's Lyme Regis is a critically-acclaimed site specialising in seafood but, for the team at the restaurant, a positive weekend turned sour when a large group "deliberately" refused to pay for some of the most expensive items on the menu. Chef Patron Tom Robinson said: "If restaurant owners could write reviews on their customers then tonight would be my one star.
“Tonight a table crossed the line and went above and beyond to make my guests and team fell uncomfortable". Speaking to Dorset Live, Tom described how the table of ten had called for a large group booking about an hour before their arrival and, after accommodating their request, the group arrived and proceeded to order some of the most expensive items on the menu.
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The group, which consisted of both adults and children, proceeded to wreak havoc on the restaurant and ended the evening by causing such a disturbance that the team felt forced to allow them to leave without paying £350 of their £450 bill. Tom continues: "Offering customers to 'have a go', spades hitting the back of customers heads, allowing children to climb on fuse boxes and gas fire heaters, ordering the most expensive items on the menu and refusing to pay, at a personal cost of £350 at a time when hospitality is struggling. To tonight's guests, if you see this never return to my establishment, I hope you are proud of your abysmal behaviour."
Tom believes that the group of ten were visitors to the area after they booked last minute, an hour before arrival. After their arrival they ordered some of the most expensive items on the menu, including the lobster surf and turf which retails at £60.
The restaurant staff proceeded to be subjected to a series of nuisances, including children climbing across their site and guests. Tensions increased around the time of the bill when the guests claimed that the food was not-up-to-scratch.
Tom said: "We had a genuine fear that it would have escalated, and that would have substantially impacted and created a negative experience for the other diners. At the time there were 50 other guests, we don't want people not having the experience that they deserve."
Tom's Lyme Regis have an AA rosette for culinary excellence, as well as being a finalist in two categories of the Trencherman’s Awards 2022. Tom says that the group concerned were not drinking heavily at the time and commented they "knew what they were doing and ordered the most expensive thing".
Tom ended his public post on the matter emphasising how the guests at the site are normally very well-mannered. He concluded: "P.S. this is few and far between and i love hospitality, food and all out lovely guests i just wanted to remind people that we have a zero tolerance policy in regards to abusive behaviour towards our wonderful guests and my team of absolute rock stars."
If you wish to support Tom's Lyme Regis, you can find out about them here .
