Hotel gate - couple refused to pay their Wedding Bill shamed on Social Media

[StrawberryRed]

A hotel in my area 'The Townhouse Durham' was ripped off by a couple. The couple are trying to avoid paying there bill by complaining.

www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11257679/amp/Battle-Buffet-Town-House-Durham-shames-newlyweds-bill-dispute.html

There is a huge backlash against the couple with people sharing their own problems they've had with the couple - they seem like a pair of scammers.

HOWEVER

I'm finding the Hotel a BU now, they seem to be really enjoying the drama and stirring the pot with updates on social media in a vendetta against the couple, it looks cheap IMO. If their is a complaint in place, perhaps libelous and a breach of confidentiality?

Thoughts?

And yet this was the womans initial post - certainly seems to be happy with the service provided. I also have seen the hotel share cctv images showing the buffet in place for over an hour.
They just seem like total scammers.
Of course the hotel should be able to continue. If the women had paid they would not be in this situation.

And how have you identified that it is not?

That's exactly my point - it's all just assumption - we don't know, Social media is not the place for a trial to take place.

A tenner per bottle corkage? I'm in the wrong job.
How does one go about being a corker or whatever they're called?

It's not a job, it's like a fee you pay to compensate the venue for loss of bar income if you take your own alcohol

It can work out cheaper to do it that way for the customer

Well the Townhouse's FB page number of views has gone through the roof. But will it drive new business? I doubt it. What it might do is put off any more potential scammers from targeting this particular business.

I agree.

I've been self-employed for 20 years and know what it feels like to have people not pay up (sometimes large sums of money), but there is a way to deal with this and muck-raking all over your social media pages ain't it.

I would be reported to my registration body if I pulled a stunt like this.

Other people have identified my distaste better than I did in my OP.

It's not the name and shame I think is wrong, it's the private message sharingand personal attacks they are courting and the witch hunt they are orchestrating - their posts read smugly and they appear to be enjoying their vendetta which I think looks tacky for a business. If the couple are lying, which they appear to be, a professional business would name and shame then move on, all other allegations should be referred to appropriate agencies.

I didn't realise the couple themselves went to the DM!!! Probably a counter attack very misjudged!

Wrt being asked if I am one of the women - very original, I wasn't expecting that...!!

I haven't, I was commenting on the fact that there seems to be a large voice of local opinion that this isn't the first time the couple have acted in this way

You are right though, we can't be sure that it isn't some kind of orchestrated campaign against them.

Yes a vested interest

the obvious answer is:

1. get everything in writing b) make sure you can back up all your claims with photos, videos and paperwork iii) don't air all this dirty laundry in public

Article I read said he's 30 years old. (Aye right, hen).

Yep. They should have paid the bill. This is on them.

No one is coming off well in this story, having read the thread on their Facebook page. Lack of class and compose all around.

Anytime I read a trip advisor review of a potential hotel / restaurant I’m interested in staying in / dining at - and I see the owner getting involved in a tit for tat with a negative reviewer, I immediately discount.

Like Taken, just with chicken wings

When Im reading Tripadvisor or whatever I tolerate one or two incidents of the venue politely disputing a negative review with their version of events. I read both sides and decide which seems more likely.

But if the venue's tone gets nasty or obsessive, or if every single negative comment is disputed and they can never put up their hands and say sorry, then I'll avoid them.

I'm not opposed to a name and shame. But the hotel aren't covering themselves in glory here for everything they've done after the naming and shaming.

I suspect both sides of this story are nonsense have been embellished. I wouldn't want to have any dealings with any of them.

I am reminded of Christopher Jefferies - an innocent man who was a suspect briefly in a murder investigation. He happened to look rather unusual. He was a retired teacher. The tabloids printed an article all about how he was, in their view, basically a weirdo. Suddenly all sorts of people came out of the woodwork saying he had done this or that.

It proved to be all lies - people jumping on the bandwagon, making up allegations because they thought he was guilty.

He won substantial damages against the newspapers.

It’s a witch hunt and you’re jumping on the bandwagon, spreading the story even wider. You need to get a hobby. Whoever is right or wrong in the story, you’re obviously getting off on circulating the gossip.

This. I saw someone the other day which eloquently likened public shaming on the internet to people being paraded through the streets naked whilst the baying mob throw vegetables at them. The couple should have paid the bill but I actually think the business’ behaviour is much worse. There are channels they can go through to enforce their debts but they’ve resorted to bullying. I would never use a business that did this to someone.

That's a bit harsh given you're contributing to the thread too.

I live locally and ds also works in a hotel very near Townhouse, so this is a story of interest to me.

The drama could have been avoided if they'd owned up and paid up.

All sorts are coming out of the woodwork, but I don't think it was for the Townhouse to expose, TBH. Perhaps any publicity is good publicity, but I think it will backfire on them.

Ha!

I agree. They’ve probably gone through life being horrendous to others when given the chance and this time it’s backfired on them.

Yes I don't automatically believe all these other people to be honest.