Three diners who left a pub without paying for their Sunday roasts have returned to pay for their meals in full after a landlord called them out online.
Mark Robbie, landlord at the Butchers Arms in Audley, Staffordshire, took to social media at the weekend after two men and a woman seemingly left the premises without paying their £35 bill. Mark claimed the trio even asked how to pay for their food before making the quick exit.
In the original post, Mark 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.
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"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."
Mark, who has been landlord of the pub since June 2019, told StokeonTrentLive that the three people, who came in with their dogs, left separately and later attempts to contact them via phone were unsuccessful.
He explained: “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."
The incident was reported to Staffordshire Police who said they were investigating the matter.
In an update on Tuesday (June 28), Mark confirmed the three diners had since returned to the pub to pay their bill in full. “One of them paid the bill for everybody,” he said. “They paid their dues, that's the end of that.”
But Mark said his initial appeal has since been shared across the country and he's heard from other pub owners nationwide who have faced similar incidents like his.
"I have been contacted by people in Whitby, Devon, Cornwall and all over the country,” he added. “It makes you think, why is everyone doing it. The cost of living crisis? If you can't afford it, don't go out. It's as simple as that.”
