A Merseyside restaurant owner has hit back at a customer after they left a bad review online.
Gary Usher, owner of Liverpool’s Wreckfish, Prescot’s Pinion, Heswall’s Burnt Truffle and more said he was “disgusted” when he saw the review for one of his restaurants.
The diner who left a review on OpenTable last week was called out by the chef and told he was “not welcome in any of the Elite Bistros”.
In the review, the diner said the food was “mediocre with superfluous saltiness” and he was left “unimpressed”.
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He also said the restaurant’s post-lockdown menu is “a shadow of the stupendously salivating previous one”, that the venue needs “better aeration” and he hopes the restaurant “improves fast”.
The reviewer went on to label a member of staff “brusque and unfriendly” as well as saying the waitress was “a brute of a lady”.
Not happy with the review – or the personal remarks aimed towards a member of staff, restaurant owner Gary Usher hit back at the diner.
Sharing the review on Twitter, he replied: “I’ll keep this short and sweet. I’m not going into the detail of how much we are struggling with running a restaurant in a pandemic, or how operating at 50% capacity whilst adhering to all the new guidelines is nearly killing us.
“That would be both superfluous and melodramatic. Plus you were there so you know how quiet we are.
“Neither am I going to defend our ‘post lockdown lockdown menu’ because it would be insulting to you to think you wouldn’t understand why restaurants have had to strip back their menus to survive.
“What I do want to address is why you think it is acceptable to direct such personal comments to anyone? It’s 2020 Linford. Not only are your comments unpleasant, directed towards someone simply trying to do their job, they are really hurtful.
“At a time when there is so much emphasis and awareness of mental health, perhaps you should know better.
“I have already taken it upon myself and apologised on your behalf. However I think it would be appropriate for you to do the same.
“Until that happens rest assured that you are not welcome in any of the Elite Bistros. I’m unimpressed. I hope you improve fast.”
Gary posted his full response on Twitter, alongside a comment condemning the review again.
He wrote: “I was disgusted when I saw this review on open table last week. My hope is that Linford now takes another look at what he’s written & thinks about how it could make someone feel.
“For as long as I am involved in Elite Bistro we won’t tolerate it. Don’t be f****** rude. Please.”