A Bristol cocktail bar has quashed rumours that staff have been overcharging drunk people. Bosses at the Cocktail Club on Corn Street launched an investigation after several customers complained on social media that people who had been drinking were being asked to pay more for their beverages.
Management found that some staff had incorrectly added a service charge, without warning people that the fee was optional. Those employees will now be 'dealt' with.
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Managing director of the company Dawn Donoghue, who looked at all of Saturday’s transactions to get to the bottom of the situation said: “No one’s been overcharged for the product they ordered. What has happened is our staff have put a service charge on, especially in the back bar.”
She added: “We don’t mind service charges, all of it goes to the staff, but we don’t want to add a service charge when someone is ordering from the bar.”
She explained that through her investigation, she found that a number of service charges had been rung through, and believes that staff had not made it clear it was optional. A service charge is optional in this country. There will be consequences because I don’t want it.”
Dawn wanted to quash rumours that staff were taking advantage of drunk women, explaining that they regularly pay for taxis for women who may have had too much to drink.
She said, “We’re a female-led company, 70% of our customers are female and I’m very upset that anyone would suggest that we have been taking advantage of drunk women, it’s not fair and it’s not correct.”
The company said it was 'grateful' the issue has been flagged and they have attempted to refund those involved.
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