A prominent seafood restaurant in Portsmouth has been compelled to roll out a stringent new pre-payment policy following a distressing series of alleged dine and dash incidents, with the latest episode involving two men who allegedly fled without settling a substantial £170 bill.
Repeated Incidents Force Drastic Measures
Scott Matthews, the 39-year-old proprietor of Relentless - Steak and Lobster House located on The Boardwalk in Portsmouth, Hampshire, has taken the difficult decision to mandate that all customers pre-pay for their meals. This defensive strategy comes after the establishment faced multiple instances of customers leaving without paying, severely impacting the small, independent business.
"As a small, independent business owner, I find this incredibly disheartening," Mr Matthews expressed. "Incidents like this don't just affect a balance sheet - they impact real people who work hard every day. That £170 bill represents someone's days wages."
The Latest Alleged Exploit
The most recent incident, which has been reported to Hampshire Constabulary, occurred on January 29th at approximately 12:30pm. According to Mr Matthews, two men entered the restaurant appearing to be electricians and initiated what turned into a boozy lunch session.
The pair allegedly "deliberately outsmarted" the restaurant's existing pre-pay system by initially ordering and paying for £130 worth of food. Knowing that staff typically do not request payment for supplementary items until the end of the meal, they then proceeded to order multiple additional rounds of alcoholic drinks, shots, oysters, and scallops - accumulating an extra £170 that they reportedly failed to pay.
"They ordered a double round of drinks, shots, loads of oysters and scallops," Mr Matthews recounted. "The waitress noticed they had gone within about three minutes. As the chef came out, you could see them speeding off in their van. They shouldn't have been driving at all with the alcohol involved."
A Pattern of Targeting
This is far from an isolated occurrence for the restaurant, which has operated for two decades. Mr Matthews revealed that their Port Solent location has previously been labelled a "dine and dash hotspot" by some. The most substantial bill walked out on was a staggering £800, which ultimately triggered the implementation of the current pre-payment requirement.
The owner believes his establishment may be particularly targeted because it is surrounded by chain restaurants, leading some patrons to mistakenly assume it is part of a larger corporate entity rather than an independent business.
Business Impact and Customer Backlash
While necessary for protection, the pre-payment policy has not been well-received by customers and has resulted in significant revenue loss for the struggling hospitality business.
"We lose so much revenue because we have to do prepayment, it is just unbelievable," Mr Matthews lamented. "No one wants to prepay but we have to protect our business. It is damaging for us and for the customer. It is just a nightmare."
He emphasised the challenging climate for hospitality businesses, noting that such incidents represent "another hit" on an industry already facing considerable pressures. The policy applies universally to all customers, as Mr Matthews stressed that discrimination is not an option, even though he believes it is not typical hardworking people who engage in such behaviour.
Police Investigation and Appeal
Hampshire Constabulary has confirmed they received a report regarding the January 29th incident and have launched an investigation. "Enquiries are ongoing. No arrests have been made at this time," a spokesperson stated.
Mr Matthews has made a direct appeal to those responsible, urging them to come forward and settle their outstanding bill before the matter escalates further through police channels.
The restaurant owner's experience highlights a growing concern within the hospitality sector about dine and dash crimes, particularly as businesses continue to navigate post-pandemic recovery challenges and economic pressures that make such losses increasingly difficult to absorb.
