To be so upset people think we left without paying?

I think OP means the idiots reading the article would get the wrong end of the stick, you know, just like in the facebook post where they only look at the headline and pictures. So the comments would be horrific.

I don't think this would happen because the newspapers at least have in house lawyers who ought to spot that the people in the picture are not the people who didn't pay their bill.

If they were dumb enough to publish it without fact checking then you could get a substantial amount of compensation.

@ShownOnCCTV.

Write out what has happened in as much detail as possible, with dates, times, everything you can think of. Specify that you are in the UK.

Whack it all into ChatGPT and ask it to write you a letter before action.

Send the letter by email, by post (recorded delivery) and post a screen shot of your letter with any personal details such as your name and address redacted out in the comments, reiterating that if they do not take the post down or blur you out because you were NOT ACTUALLY INVOLVED, you will take legal action.

I would also do your own post on Facebook, tagging them in, set to public, and ask people to share it.

I am a lawyer.

Yes, do this.

Can you go into the post and report every post by other people?

Or, post a photo of the pub plus the owners faces and say This Pub Puts Innocent People On Their FB page and Accuses them of Not Paying
But then I am petty like that

This is an awful situation. So sorry OP.

I also wanted to add, that I think it’s unreasonable to post accusatory images of anyone (including the couple who allegedly left without paying). It may be that they just forgot or got interrupted, or had an emergency etc etc. This is a cruel and reactive way of dealing with it.

Let alone for poor OP who has nothing to do with it.

Where's the Daily Mail when you need it? <waves to any passing journos>. Coo-ee, over here!

Contact the Information Commissioner’s Office advice line on 0303 123 1113. They should be able to assist.

Ensure you retain copies of any correspondence with the pub as well. Is the pub independently owned or part of a chain/brewery? If the latter it’s also time to involve them.

Add this to their fb post about the non-payers

‘ Although our group features in this photograph (WHICH WAS TAKEN WITHOUT OUR PERMISSION) I can assure everyone that the people who left without paying are NOTHING to do with our family or friends. We DID pay our bill and left a generous tip too! ‘

i hate this vigilantism that is so common
give them a bad review

This is an obvious case of defamation. Then writing a couple of words buried in a wall of text is not a get out of libel free card. That said, defamation is an expensive process - though with a slam dunk they're in the wrong scenario you may get a few solicitors happy to take it on as no-won, no-fee.

Honestly, is it complete laziness or what? Sharing an opinion and looking completely foolish for not reading the post correctly. I really worry about people.

But people have assumed she hasn’t paid based on the unnecessary actions of the pub landlord - putting up their picture was completely unnecessary

Are you a lawyer? If not stop stating something is so clearly one way when you don’t have the legal expertise to know

Get off Mumsnet and onto formal legal advice. Have a legal letter sent to them. Plus they need to undertake a public apology on their site acknowledging their cheeky fuckery. Seriously, it would have taken them 2 seconds to crop or blur before posting so they just didn’t care.

Threaten to report them to the ICO for gdpr breach.

@Beaniebobbins

It would likely cost £200 ish for a couple of letters and responses to be dealt with. Depending on your finances not an insignificant amount.

@Hameth

I don't think small claims court deals with libel cases.

I feel like the Daily Fail would love this… “Pub slanders and doxes family in publicity stunt gone wrong. Refuses to apologise or remove images.”

She hasn't been accused of not paying.
People on the pub's social media page are assuming she hasn't paid and accusing her of it because they lack reading comprehension.
It's quite a common phenomenon....
...apparently.

The pub know she paid, and referred to this in their post, but people aren't reading it properly or at all and seeing dined and dashed and her family and putting 2 and 2 together. The pub are refusing to edit the post to make it clearer or to blur her and her families images. Absolutely distressing to her, but she isnt being accused by the pub of non payment, so I doubt she could sue them for accusing her of it. Or the eejits on Facebook who can't read.
She might have a case for something, but not sure what. Distress?

Here’s some advice from the information commissioner’s office. The pub will be considered a data controller and this brings responsibilities.
ico.org.uk/for-the-public/how-to-make-a-data-protection-complaint/

Not true with defamation - the court looks at the reasonable impression given
very clearly evidenced by the comments and contact OP and her family have had so far!

Here’s chat GPT’s take

Yes, based on the facts you’ve provided, this situation may well be libellous, even if the pub owner included a disclaimer that “the people at the table are not involved”. Here’s a breakdown based on the legal test for defamation (libel) under UK law, particularly under the Defamation Act 2013:

🔍
The Legal Test for Libel (Defamation)

To succeed in a claim for libel, you would need to show:

1.
A defamatory statement was made

A statement is defamatory if it:

• Tends to lower you in the estimation of right-thinking members of society,
• Causes you to be shunned or avoided, or
• Exposes you to hatred, ridicule or contempt.

✅ Likely met. The CCTV image and accompanying post have clearly led to people believing you were involved in theft. The fact that people have commented identifying you and linking to your work supports this.

2.
The statement referred to you (or your group)

Even if you’re not named, a statement can be defamatory if you can be identified, directly or indirectly.

✅ Met. You’re visible in the CCTV still, your group is recognisable, and at least one commenter linked to your work. People have been contacting your family assuming guilt. The “disclaimer” doesn’t prevent identification or suspicion.

3.
The statement was published to a third party

It must have been communicated to someone other than you.

✅ Met. The Facebook post is public and being widely commented on. It’s gone beyond private discussion.

4.
Serious harm to reputation

Under the Defamation Act 2013, a claimant must show that the statement caused or is likely to cause serious harm to their reputation.

• For individuals, this means real reputational damage, not just hurt feelings.
• The link to your work, contact to your son, and widespread comments accusing your group of theft all support serious reputational harm.

✅ Likely met.

❗️Other Potential Legal Breaches

📸
Misuse of Private Information / Data Protection

If your image was used without consent, especially in a way that leads to harm or distress, there may be a claim under the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018, particularly if you can show the use of the CCTV footage was excessive or not justified.

• Pubs can use CCTV for security purposes, but sharing footage publicly (on Facebook) without proper redaction goes beyond that purpose.
• The ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office) frowns upon misuse of CCTV footage in this way.

✅
Conclusion

Yes, you are not being unreasonable at all. Based on what you’ve said:

• There is a strong argument that the post is defamatory, even if the pub technically said you weren’t involved, because it has clearly implied otherwise and caused real reputational damage.
• You may also have a valid complaint under data protection laws for misuse of CCTV images.

📝 What You Can Do Next

1. Formally write to the pub owner (email or letter) stating:
2. You are not involved in any alleged theft.
3. The post has caused reputational harm and distress.
4. Demand removal of the post and blurring/redaction of your group in the image.
5. Warn that you may pursue a defamation or data protection complaint.
7. Complain to Facebook (report the post as harmful/defamatory and involving personal images).
8. Contact the ICO if the pub continues to refuse to blur or remove your group from the CCTV image:
9. https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/
10. Seek legal advice if you wish to pursue a defamation claim formally. A solicitor’s letter is often very effective.

@GhostOrchidcourse I have but if I get the wrong end of the stick by doing that it isn’t actionable! Ever heard of the small print in ads? So you can see an advert for mascara and the small print says that the model is wearing fake eyelashes. Guess what? Not actionable. Perfectly legal. Says it on the page.