Diner demands £75 refund from pub or threatens bad review
The Longs Arms in South Wraxall, Bradford-on-Avon, which is number 36 on the Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs list, tweeted about the incident and was met with comments of support from fellow operators and fans of the pub.
The tweet said: “A customer left a Google review and we called her to get feedback. The conversation went like this ‘if I don’t get my £75 refunded, I’ll put a much worse review on’.
“Well yes, that’s blackmail but sadly we clearly have no choice. What’s wrong with people?”
Name and shame
A customer left a google review and we called her to get feedback, the conversation went like this,,, if I don’t get my £75 refunded I’ll put a much worse review on. Well yes that’s blackmail but sadly we clearly have no choice. What’s wrong with people
— The Longs Arms (@TheLongsArms) July 3, 2019
However, Twitter advised the pub on what they thought licensee Rob Allcock should do following the blackmail.
One said: “Absolutely don’t pay. Then name and shame.”
Absolutely don't pay. Then name and shame.
— Joff Day (@JoffDay) July 3, 2019
Another said: “Don’t you pay a penny. Gives small-minded cretins all the ammunition they need and would leave yourself wide open to further abuse. Let the world know who this person is.”
Don't you a pay a penny. Gives small minded cretins all the ammunition they need & would leave yourself wide open to further abuse. Let the world know who this person is
— TheHovinghamInn (@TheHovinghamInn) July 3, 2019
A fellow supporter of the pub said: “If you pay her, you’re only doing your business further harm. Do not do it!
“Just let her make her stupid comment then respond to her as so many businesses have done before. You’d be mad to refund her.”
Something wrong
If you pay her, you're only doing your business further harm. Do not do it! Just let her make her stupid comment then respond to her as so many businesses have done before. You'd be MAD to refund her.
— Clare (@ClareFaceWeb) July 4, 2019
At the time of publication, the Longs Arms had not refunded the customer – however Allcock said the reviewer had contacted the pub numerous times.
Allcock said he asked the customer to remove the review as it was “weird and not constructive”. She responded claiming “any restaurateur worth their salt would offer her a refund”.
He also said the incident had left the pub’s team feeling like they had done something wrong. Allcock added: “I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.”
