The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Is this what we have to put up with?
JUST DAYS AFTER RE-OPENING, DINGLE TAPAS BAR FORCED TO CONTACT GUARDS AFTER NON-LOCALS REFUSE TO PAY BILL.
A renowned Dingle restaurant, just back in action after the limbo of COVID, had to contact local Gardaí so that a large group of people paid their food bill – before having to phone the same group the next day to remove inaccurate one-star reviews they posted on TripAdvisor.
It’s been a sour note amid a hugely positive, supportive reaction from the public to the re-opening of Solas Tapas and Wine Bar – Stand Street – and their neighbouring bar, Bob Griffin’s.
Solas co-owner Nicky Foley told The Kerryman of his disgust at the group of 13 non-locals – who first showed up later than booked last Thursday evening and took it upon themselves to rearrange seating against management’s wishes.
“A member of the party had come to the door of the restaurant to book in for 8pm,” Mr Foley said. “Two of them turned up at 8pm, the rest showed up in dribs and drabs. It was going to 9pm before they placed an order.
“We had the table set up in Bob Griffin’s bar next door, because that’s where our pop-up restaurant is right now due to social distancing. We do the food, they do the drink, we book them in, we do the traceability.
“The group kicked up a ruckus at bill time. They didn’t want to pay. We said we’d give them 50 per cent off, just to get rid of them, but they weren’t paying anything but their drinks bill. We told them to go.
“I went to the Garda barracks with a telephone number and bill, and the guards were spot on. Within half an hour, they got a hold of them, and he marched them back to the restaurant at around midnight.
“They settled with us up to 80 per cent, but then they posted negative reviews on TripAdvisor. They were even inaccurate on what they had to eat and drink, and what the bill came to. That’s why I took it upon myself to ring the guy to ask him to take them down.
“Who goes around doing this, even at the best of times, normal circumstances... I can’t understand the arrogance, the mentality of this after everything we’ve come through.”
Mr Foley added that the group was checked on at several points during the meal, and did not they say they were unhappy until presented with the bill, coming to roughly €17.50 a head.
The return to action has otherwise been a success story for Solas, and Mr Foley said the arrangement with their neighbouring bar is working exceptionally well.
“It’s been very busy,” he said. “We wouldn’t be able to do those numbers in the restaurant even on a good day. The yard [in Bob Griffin’s] can sit nearly 80 people with complete social distancing. The booths are all private, they’re completely covered from one person to the other person. It’s a great set-up. The reception has been, one word, phenomenal. Saturday night was one of the busiest nights we’ve ever had. It’s probably a rare success story out of COVID, restaurant-wise. Most have lost seating, but we’ve actually been able to increase capacity.”
He also pleaded with restaurantand pub-goers to be cognisant of the situation such premises find themselves in – with little by way of State backing.
“Restaurants have changed how they’ve served food. Bars have changed how they serve drink. Pubs are more or less gastro-bars and restaurants – by law. And restaurants need to be paid for the service they’re providing in bars,” Mr Foley said.
“Restaurants have lost 30 to 40 per cent of their seating capacity. People haven’t raised prices. Wages have stayed the same. Restaurants that are seasonal are not entitled to the wage-subsidy scheme. Where’s the support from government for small businesses like ourselves, who have to put up with people like this, people who aren’t paying their bills? We’re having to settle their bills for them and still pay our staff – without support from the government.”