The no-shows must not go on
All areas: Tom Kerridge says customers who don't turn up harm the struggling restaurant industry
An Italian restaurant in Bray has joined celebrity chef Tom Kerridge in a scathing attack on customers failing to turn up for bookings.
The restaurant industry has been hit hard by the coronavirus lockdown, with eateries only re-opening their doors less than two weeks ago following a three-month closure.
Figures in the trade have now hit out at people carrying out bookings and failing to show up to the restaurant.
In an enraged Instagram post on Sunday, Marlow chef Kerridge pointed the finger at a large group who failed to turn up at his London restaurant, Kerridge’s Bar & Grill.
He added that the industry is on ‘the verge of collapse’ and branded the behaviour of people who ‘no-show’ as ‘disgraceful’.
He told his 429,000 followers: “To the 27 people that booked
and then failed to turn up on a Saturday night, this industry, like many others, is on the verge of collapse.
“Your behaviour is disgraceful, shortsighted and down right unhelpful. All of you ‘no shows’ in all restaurants up and down the country are adding to the issues already being faced, You are putting people’s jobs more at risk.
“We put staff levels to the number of covers booked and when you fail to turn up, it now costs us, which in turn will force very uncomfortable and hard decisions about staffing levels.
“You are the worst kind of guest, and that is ‘selfish’. I hope you have good look at yourselves.”
Giancarlo Caldesi, from Italian restaurant Caldesi in Campagna, based in Old Mill Lane, Bray, agreed with Kerridge.
“It has been a problem for 13 years. My view is now, I do not take any bookings on websites. [Customers] have to phone me, speak to me or my staff,” he said.
“People do not understand how much effort we put into our trade.
“It is absolutely disastrous. You cannot do that. I am genuinely very upset about it, it is not fair by any stretch of the imagination.”
Giancarlo added that a group of 10 had once booked a table at his restaurant, but after repeated phone calls he realised they had gone on holiday without cancelling. A table of two had also ‘no-showed’ at the weekend.