Family accused of running out on £215 pub bill return and 'overpay as a gesture of goodwill'

22 June 2023, 18:51 | Updated: 22 June 2023, 18:56

A family accused of walking out on a £215 bill at a gastropub on Father’s Day have paid the money owed in full - and more - after the pub’s owner called them out.

The Fisherman’s Arms, based in Newlyn Cornwall, shared CCTV footage of a family that visited their pub on Sunday for Father’s Day ordering a full three-course meal that came to a hefty £215 before they “did one” without paying.

But now the family have owned up to their mistake, as the pub have announced that the family returned to the pub to pay in full and “even overpaid as a gesture of goodwill”.

Posting online, the pub's management said: “We wish to inform you that the individuals concerned regarding the Father’s Day incident have now contacted the pub and paid the bill in full, in fact they’ve overpaid as a gesture of goodwill. The matter is now closed !!”

The pub shared CCTV footage of the group that allegedly “did one”, made up of two men, two women and two children.

According to the pub, two members of the family said they were going for a smoke but then never returned to pay off the mammoth bill.

The reason why the family didn’t pay still remains unconfirmed, but it is understood they apologised when they got back in touch to pay off the bill.

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Social media users shared in the relief of the pub owners, as many wrote in to share their happiness at the news.

One wrote: “Excellent! It should never have come to this though. At least they paid in the end.”

While another added: “Really pleased they paid up but they took their sweet time.”

After sharing the news on Sunday, the pub received multiple calls of people claiming to recognise members of the family in a bid to help track them down.

After the incident on Sunday, the pub shared images of the family, posting online: Anyone know who these people are? Just did a runner without paying, 2 went out the front door and 2 out the back !!!”

Speaking to the Daily Mail, the manager of the pub Lucy said: “They came in, racked up a huge bill and walked out. They had lots of cocktails, food, starters, mains and pudding. "While two of them were talking to bar staff, two walked out and never came back. The second two to walk out said they were going for a cigarette and lo and behold they all left.

“They did have a look at the bill. They said they would have a cigarette while they waited for their other halves and then come and pay it. The two women walked out first and then the two guys.”

At the time, Lucy rejected the possibility that the family may have just forgotten to pay the bill.