Great British Menu star Paul Ainsworth has hit out at diners who failed to show up for reservations at his Cornish pub, comparing them to ‘panic buyers at the start of lockdown’.
The TV chef, 41, from Southampton, appeared on Good Morning Britain alongside Bake Off star Candice Brown and chef Allegra Benitah to debate whether guests should pay a deposit to prevent them not showing up for bookings.
He said that it was ‘unbelievable’ so many diners cancelled last week after he and many other establishments have struggled to cope during lockdown, with his own restaurant borrowing money to prevent any redundancies.
It comes after fellow TV chef Tom Kerridge also recently hit out at ‘selfish’ customers who did not show up for bookings at his London eatery.
Great British Menu star Paul Ainsworth (pictured) hit out at diners who failed to show up for reservations at his Cornish pub
The TV chef, 41, from Southampton, appeared on Good Morning Britain where he compared the diners to ‘panic buyers at the start of lockdown’
He said: ‘We just couldn’t believe it, especially with all the awareness Tom Kerridge raised on the weekend.
‘It had been a really positive start, lockdown had been really tough with the amount of money we borrowed so we didn’t have to make redundancies. So to have 27 no- shows in one day was unbelievable.’
He added: ‘I think it was like the beginning of lockdown, when we saw those scenes of panic buying.
‘ I think when people knew they were going to be able to go out on July 4, it was the case of booking loads of tables and making sure they had somewhere to go out.’
He appeared alongside Bake Off star Candice Brown (bottom left) and chef Allegra Benitah (bottom right) to debate whether guests should pay a deposit to prevent them not showing up for bookings
He told that it was ‘unbelievable’ so many diners cancelled after he and many other establishments have struggled to cope during lockdown
Candice, 35, from London, went on to reveal that her pub, The Green Man, has introduced a £10 deposit at lunch and a £20 deposit in the evening to ensure they don’t lose business.
She explained their capacity has reduced from 40 to 20 people, and hit out at diners who don’t show up for bookings, branding them ‘rude’ and saying their behaviour is ‘unacceptable’.
‘We’re in a tiny village pub we have to take out half our tables, said Candice. ‘If we had 20 people not turn up, we would have no business. We fought hard to keep our business running.
Candice, 35, from London, went on to reveal that her pub, The Green Man, has introduced a £10 deposit at lunch and a £20 deposit in the evening to ensure they don’t lose business
TV chef Allegra defended diners who could potentially be worried about dining out post-lockdown, and said that booking a table is ‘the fist step of confidently eating at a restaurant’
‘It’s about survival and I don’t get this thought process if you have booked a table not having the common decency just to make a phone call and say, “I can’t come”.
She went on: ‘We’ve had a couple of no shows, we’ve had people swap their bookings and we’re not animals, we’re not horrible, of course we’ll swap it, or if there is an extreme circumstance we give their money back. We’re not awful human beings.
‘But the hospitality industry is just trying to survive at the moment, we’re on our knees and we’re trying to survive. Twenty seven no-shows is unacceptable, it’s rude and costing lives and money and businesses.’
Meanwhile, TV chef Allegra defended diners who could potentially be worried about dining out post-lockdown, and said that booking a table is ‘the fist step of confidently eating at a restaurant.’
This comes after celebrity chef Tom Kerridge (pictured) has took to social media to slam customers who failed to show reservations at his upmarket London restaurant
She said: ‘I think dining out in a carefree way is a thing of the past. People are scared to go out again. They don’t know what it will be like, and people are really feeling the pinch.
‘I think booking a table is the fist step of confidentily eating at a restaurant, there are a whole stream of conversations and questions and imposing a deposit is one restriction on already highly restricted diners.’
Paul agreed with Allegra, yet felt he had been given no other option but to impose a deposit at his eatery.
Paul agreed with Allegra, yet felt he had been given no other option but to impose a deposit at his eaterie
‘I actually agree with what Allegra is saying,’ said Paul. ‘We’ve had credit card details for eight years, we take the number and all that. But what’s happening now is people are cancelling their card.’
‘I want it to be free and easy, I don’t want to book a deposit, to take money from them straight away isn’t something I want to do – but we’re being backed into a corner.
‘The majority of people will pay a deposit and say “How can people not turn up?” and I do believe this is still a minority, but if we’re not careful it will end up ruining it for everyone.’