A Staffordshire village pub landlord has slammed three guests who he alleges dined and dashed without paying for their Sunday lunches. Mark Robbie, landlord at the Butchers Arms in Audley, Staffordshire, stated that a group of three devoured roast beef and gammon dinners at his pub before leaving without paying their bill.
Frustrated Mark jumped on social media to bash the diners who – according to him – allegedly left in separate cars after polishing off their supper.
He alleged that two men and a woman with a German Shepherd and another small dog relaxed in the Staffordshire village pub’s beer garden to make the most of Mark’s specialised homecooked Sunday lunches, after paying for their drinks.
The group’s drinks bill amounted to around £35, however when it came to paying up time for their Sunday lunches and a starter they had also ordered, Mark claims they vanished.
Speaking to StokeonTrentLive, Mr Robbie explained that the trio had even queried where they should go to pay for their meals – but then left within minutes of each other at 1.54pm on Sunday, June 18 after finishing their food.
Mr Robbie described the incident, as he said: “A woman and two men came with with two dogs – a German Shepherd and a tiny dog. They’d paid for their drinks at the bar. The woman paid for them using her phone because one of the men couldn’t get his to work. They all ordered roast dinners.
“Two of them ordered the roast beef and the other ordered gammon. They were all cooked by my fair hand. They were sitting in the beer garden at the back of the pub. They’d even asked where to pay. The guy with the German Shepherd left first and then the man and woman with the small dog left two to three minutes later.
“When they left the beer garden to go back to their cars they walked past the door. We realised what had happened when they pulled out of the car park. I’ve got a phone number and I’ve left several voicemails with no response. It’s so annoying. You need every penny you can get when you’re running a business like this.”
Revealing the impact on his Staffordshire village pub, Mark – who has been landlord there since June 2019 – stated: “It might be £35 but every penny counts in a business like this. It’s theft at the end of the day. If I drove off a petrol station forecourt without paying I’m sure police would be on my doorstep. It is quite rare for such a thing to happen here, but since I put the Facebook post up I’ve had several people in hospitality in the Stoke-on-Trent area contact me to say this has hapened to them too.”
Taking to Facebook after the frustrating incident, the Butchers Arms made a which said: “A massive thank you to the three charming people who have left, without paying. You asked if you paid at the bar, so you knew where to pay. You then chose not to, so thank you again. We have your faces on camera plus your vehicle and registration.. So if you would please pop and pay for your three sunday roasts, it would be very much appreciated. Thank you from a small independent business.”
A Staffordshire Police spokesperson said: “We received a report on 20 June reporting that three people had not paid for their meals, worth a total of £35, at the Butchers Arms, Church Street, Audley, on Sunday 18 June.
“We are carrying out enquiries. If you have any information that could help us with our inquiries, contact us through Live Chat on our website – www.staffordshire.police.uk – or call 101, quoting incident number 518 of 21 June. To report anonymously, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
Staffordshire Police’s website lists several ways to prevent cutomers from committing theft without paying. The West Midlands force encourages that any outside smoking area – particularly on the street – is manned by staff, mainly if all members of the dining party are outdoors.
Staffordshire Police officers also talk about the significance of strong surveillance of outdoor spaces from inside the pub and by having CCTV. The advice continues: “If a party of diners arrives without having made a booking, it’s best to ask for a credit card before seating the group – particularly large parties.
“Remember, there’s only so much you can do to establish the identity of customers, and there’s nothing to stop them giving false information. However, by following the tips listed above, you’ll be far better equipped to prevent people making off without paying. In the event of an incident, call police as quickly as possible – we do not recommend taking matters into your own hands.”
