‘It’s literally breaking us’: Restaurant bosses angry with hundreds of no-shows as indoor dining reopens

Hospitality venues are now able to seat people indoors after months of closures and outdoor dining

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As hospitality venues have begun to reopen since coronavirus restrictions were eased, restaurant owners are hitting out at “no-shows” that are costing them money and leaving them with empty tables.

The boss of a restaurant in Cardiff said over one weekend, 34 people who had made a reservation failed to turn up. The North Star restaurant in Maindy was forced to turn away 50 - 60 walk-ins because they were supposed to be fully booked.

However, 34 of the people who had made reservations failed to turn up without informing the restaurant, leaving them needlessly out of pocket.

The owner of the pub, David Rowlands, posted on the restaurant’s Facebook page on Sunday asking people to be more considerate.

He wrote: “Today we have had 34 no shows. Our small kitchen team has worked tirelessly day and night to ensure we have enough food prepped and we have turned down several bookings and walk ins to ensure menu choices for our booked guests.

“This is devastating to our small business, if you book a table with us and cannot make it, please call us so we can let someone else have your table.

“This is the toughest period this industry has faced and we have lost hundreds of thousands during the lockdowns with very limited support.

“Please help us stay open.”

Unfortunately, North Star is not the only restaurant to have reported an issue with no-shows since their reopening.

Candice Brown, the winner of The Great British Bake Off 2016, has pleaded with people on Twitter to let restaurants know if they can’t make it after her Bedfordshire pub had 10 no-shows on one day.

She tweeted: “If you cannot attend your booking at a restaurant or pub, PLEASE call to let them know. 10 no-shows on our 1st (almost) normal Sunday is not ok.

“We’ve turned people away all week as fully booked. We’ve been shut all year. Just call and say you can’t make it.”

Another venue owner vented their frustration on Twitter after having over 50 no-shows in one day.

They wrote: “Polite reminder to PLEASE turn up to your restaurant/bar reservations or just let them know if you can’t make it.

“We had over 50 no shows yesterday for a bar that sits 36 covers and has been shut since last March, it’s literally breaking us.”