The restaurant owner described their conduct as very discomforting and heavily misogynistic (Image: /)
A group of six people who refused to pay a £300 bill at a were marched back to the establishment by officers to settle the hefty bill they had attempted to abandon.
The group had initially refused to pay for their , at the Black Bull in Moffat, Dumfriesshire, complaining that they were dissatisfied with the quality of their evening experience. Things escalated when they were turned away from the pub, only to be located by the authorities at their . Law enforcement then escorted them back around midnight to face their obligations.
Recounting the incidents of that night, 52 year old restaurant owner Janie Seaton said: “The six had told us they had been unhappy with the mains so I took them off the bill.” The disgruntled patrons also moaned about their seating arrangements, says Janie. “One of the group then came up to the bar and said they were not going to pay the remaining £300,” she disclosed, as reported by the Daily Record.
What ensued was a standoff, with Janie unyielding in her stance that the unpaid bill was unacceptable. The debacle intensified as the group claimed their dining experience fell short of being “amazing enough” to warrant payment. Janie described their conduct as very discomforting and heavily misogynistic towards herself and her manager, reports .
The pub owner, has praised the police for their “amazing” response (Image: /)
She continued: “Their attitude was disturbing and extremely misogynistic to me and my manager. I realised that I would have to call the police. At this point they legged it from the premises. However, one member of the group did settle his bill before leaving.”
Janie, a pub owner, has praised the police for their “amazing” response to a group of customers who tried to leave without paying. She told how officers explained the legal implications to the six individuals before escorting them back into the establishment to settle their bill.
“They spoke with the six and explained the legal situation and told me they were now going to pay. The individuals were escorted in one at a time, each flanked by a police officer. The officers remained on the scene until the bill was settled to prevent any further issues. ” she said. Janie revealed that such incidents have become all too common, and she’s prepared to take legal action if necessary.
“Had they not paid I’d have taken it all the way through the civil courts. I felt I had to make a stand; a £300 non-payment would have been a big hit. I have had similar issues over the years,” she stated. The pub owner, who took over the Black Bull in 2018 and saw it nominated for the Sunday Mail Pub of the Year in 2020, added: “If people feel they can get away with ripping me off then other people try. The six had simply decided everything they consumed that evening was free.”
Janie believes her stance is about more than just money—it’s a matter of principle. She said: “We scored a small win for establishments like mine and staff who deal with these incidents daily. We took a stance. We didn’t back down and we never will. It was not just about the money, it was also about the principle.”
Leon Thompson, executive director of UK Hospitality Scotland, echoed Janie’s sentiments, stating: “Any customers walking out of restaurants without paying is simply unacceptable. We would encourage any operators who experience walkouts to report it to the police.”