A restaurant has enforced a new ‘dine and dash’ defence after the latest in a string of thefts where customers fled without paying their £170 tab.
Customers at Relentless Steak and Lobster House in the marina of Port Solent, Portsmouth, now have to pre-pay for their food in a bid to thwart recurring thefts.
Owner Scott Matthews, 39, claimed his hand was forced after the most recent incident, following another group of guests who racked up an £860 bill before making off.
He said: “We had to put the pre-pay policy in place for our own security, albeit embarrassing to have to ask customers for payment upfront, we have to protect the business and our high end stock cost too much money as it is with meat prices up 25 per cent.
The high end restaurant is already struggling with rising costs to hospitality.
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Scott Matthews
“Of course you’re gutted when you get tucked up and it causes a scene in front of everyone.”
The restaurant is one of 16 other restaurants in the marina, and Scott claims prospective thieves “think we’re an easy target chain that can suck it up, but we’re a family-run business.”
Scott said the problem arose from Covid and the eat out to help out scheme, and most recently had to call the police when two men feasted on oysters and scallops, running up a £170 bill before scarpering.
He said the pair came in on January 29 and ‘deliberately outsmarted’ the pre-pay system by ordering and paying for £130 worth of food, before ordering several more rounds of alcoholic drinks, shots, oysters, and scallops which they allegedly did not settle for.
Scott Matthews owns the family run business that was thriving before the string of walk outs.
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Scott Matthews
The pair allegedly pretended to step outside for a vape, before “sprinting back to their van and driving away”.
The business launched 20 years ago, moving to the current premises in 2015, with eight front of house and six kitchen staff who are left to deal with recurring hits.
“Incidents like this don’t just affect a balance sheet – they impact real people who work hard every day,” said Scott.
Even upstanding customers have “not been very understanding” of the new pre-pay policy, having lost the struggling business a lot of revenue.
The Port Solent marina is home to 16 other restaurants.
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Scott Matthews
Scott added: “We’ve had so many issues, it’s just annoying that it happens all the time.
“It is damaging for us and for the customer – it’s just a nightmare. It is very hard in hospitality at the moment as I’m sure everyone is aware. It’s just another hit on us.”
With surging business rates and changes to spending patterns, the entire hospitality sector across the UK is already “on its knees.”
The latest incident has been reported to police, but Scott is urging the thieves to come forward and settle their bill before matters need to be escalated.
Hampshire Constabulary said: “We received a report that on Thursday January 29, two men had left a restaurant on The Boardwalk in Paulsgrove without paying.
“An investigation has been launched and enquiries are ongoing. No arrests have been made at this time.”