Dozens of families in the West Midlands faced a devastating and costly Christmas Day disappointment after a popular steakhouse was forced to close its doors without sufficient warning, leaving bookings worth hundreds of pounds in ruins.
Last-Minute Closure Leaves Diners in the Lurch
The Miller & Carter restaurant in Hockley Heath, Solihull, made the decision to shut on December 25 after an unexpected electrical issue crippled its kitchen extractor fan system. Despite engineers working through the morning, the fault could not be rectified in time.
Management announced the closure in a Facebook post at 1.20pm on Christmas Day. However, this notification came too late for many customers who had bookings earlier in the day, some for as early as midday. The set festive menu at the venue was priced at £105 per person, with reports suggesting 'hundreds' of covers had been booked.
'A Complete Write-Off': Families Share Their Anger
Among those affected was James Munro, who had organised a meal for 13 family members, including his sister who had travelled from Devon. He told the Mirror they were informed only about 30 minutes before their 12pm booking.
"We heard the news about half an hour before our booking," Mr Munro explained. "Initially we were sceptical... We were then told the news was true and that the extraction unit had failed and they couldn't get the part." He expressed frustration at the lack of proactive communication, claiming the restaurant's assertion that they had tried to call was false, as his sister had no missed calls.
With no time to source an alternative Christmas dinner, Mr Munro described the day as a "write-off." He criticised the restaurant for offering no immediate solution, such as providing drinks or allowing customers to take away the pre-prepared food to cook at home.
Public Outcry and Wasted Festive Fare
The restaurant's Facebook announcement prompted an angry response from the local community. Many commenters sympathised with the stranded diners and questioned why the prepped food wasn't offered to those who had booked.
One person wrote: "Could they have not just given all the food to the booked customers to take home and cook?" Another added: "I can only imagine for the stock and prepped food that will be wasted."
In its statement, the Miller & Carter team apologised for the inconvenience and said senior management would contact those affected within "the next couple of days." The restaurant is part of the Mitchells & Butlers pub group. The Daily Mirror has approached both the restaurant and its parent company for further comment on the incident and any compensation for disappointed customers.
