To be so upset people think we left without paying?

[ShownOnCCTV]

Went for Sunday Lunch - have been to the pub many times before.

15 of us celebrating a birthday - balloon for the birthday girl.

Spent a lot- three courses, plenty of alcohol as well always do - all this is irrelevant but want to put the whole picture - left a 15% tip- service/food/ everything was excellent as always.

Have just been made aware of a FB post, CCTV picture of a couple standing by our table, all of us in full view - with a big post from the owner of the pub saying that these people left without paying please find them

Below this is text saying how hard it is to run a pub without people doing a runner and in this wall of text it says 'the people at the table are not involved '

Cue loads of people saying- 'its a kids 10th birthday it can't be hard to find them'
'scum, who goes for a birthday and doesn't pay'
'great pictures, easy to find then- and a link to my work page'

I have rung up and asked them to take the post down - they refuse
I have asked them to blur our images they refuse.

My son has just had someone ring him asking him why didn't we pay.

I have posted on the page asking them to remove our images and that we have proof we paid but still nothing.

Owner is responding to other posts on the page so must have seen mine. Just saying how hard it is for people to walk without paying (I'm sure it is, but we are booked for next week- 20 people, but I shall now go elsewhere)

AIBU to be so upset about this- so many comments thinking we are thieves.

Is there a way Facebook can remove a post which causes harassment?

Agreed. That's really a horrible thing to have happen. I'd report the photo to Facebook myself as well.

Can you contact the staff running the Facebook page and ask them to step in OP?

They did, it's just people haven't read it. They have read the headline and assumed it's the op.

Get everyone you know to report the post to Facebook.

agree with threatening legal action it’s defamation of character.

This is annoying but if it clearly states the table aren't involved I'd just point that out to anybody who asks.

That's fine, but change "this photo of myself.." to "this photo of me.."

The poster means it should literally be the first thing in the accompanying message. Rather than these people didn't pay it's awful etc please help us were just a small business blah blah blah oh and we don't mean all those people at the table who are the main part of the picture we just mean these two at the edge of the table. It's deliberately misleading.

No, it’s a libel and the picture needs to be taken down and a public apology issued.

The publishing of the photo with the caption is the libel. There are only three defences against libel and none of them apply here.

And thisis a perfect illustration of how this shit happens.

I know this has been pointed out already but I feel it bears repeating.

If they're using CCTV in a public, commercial space, they should have a Date Protection Impact Assessment in place. An image is a form of biometric data, so they have shared your special category data publicly.

It would generally be considered difficult to obtain individual consent to public CCTV, however, they should have documented their purposes for collecting, retaining and sharing personal data.

Putting random background individuals (inc. children's data of under 13yo) on a third party platform would not meet a purpose required for the organisation (in fact, naming and shaming the individuals themselves is a bit questionable in itself).

I would not do this. Why should you be telling everyone else what you spent and open your family up for judgement from all the trollers about what they ate.

People who keep saying you should sue-

Have any of you got any idea of the cost this would be?! It's madness to suggest this.

i think its a crime to share CCTV of people not involved in the incident.

I definitely wouldnt go back.

Id contact them to cancel your next booking, advise them you are getting harassed at work and theyre sharing pictures of your underage child without consent and as you have proof you've paid, evidence they've refuse to remove the post or blur you image you'll take legal action against them

Id also put their disgusting behaviour all over their FB

Their attempts to catch 2 thieves has cost them the patronage of 20 decent customers

best thing you can do is rally around your fb friends, and ask them to reply explaining it isn’t you and like the replies where you have replied and said it isn’t you. Change the algorithm in your favour.

What on earth is wrong with them?! I have a hospitality business. If something like this happened I would be mortified that someone innocent was getting blamed and abused on my business page. The first thing I would do is edit the post to say in capitals at the top that the family in the photo are not involved and I was very sorry that I had accidentally made it look like they were. I would then either blur them out of the photo or draw a ring around the actual thieves. I just don’t understand why they are just leaving it up. It doesn’t take much intelligence to work out they’re creating a big mess!

Is there a local area community facebook group? I’d be inclined to put my own post on there saying how upset you are to be shown on the picture at the pub where they are complaining about people leaving without paying. Add a photo of your receipt and say that you have quite obviously got proof of payment and you have contacted the establishment to show them your proof, but the establishment are refusing to blur your family in the photo, despite knowing that you are being criticised by many people on the post. They have added a small edit to the middle of the text saying it is not you, but it is too little too late and barely noticeable. Say that you and your family are hurt and distressed by the establishment’s treatment. It’s completely marred your experience and they have lost any future custom.

Report the post to Facebook both through the photo and through their business page.
I would reply to every single comment suggesting it was your table that left without paying, making it clear that you did pay and asking people to read the full post.
I would also keep commenting on their post and tagging the restaurant, explaining how this has affected your family and how they’ve now lost a good customer.
Make sure to leave a review on their Facebook page and Google too.
It will be down soon enough but if they persist call Citizens Advice if you are in the UK.

This is absolutely despicable!

Of course people dont read everything on a post like that. Imagine how many people who know you and haven't said anything

Id be both mortified and furious. So sorry this is happening to you.

Take screen shots of what is happening, and where your other profiles are linked to. Try and keep a log of calls and messages and also contact from people asking why you haven’t paid! It shows the impact.
I’m sorry you’re going through this. You may also want to tell your employer/hr in case any TikTok detectives contact them!

By saying they may be able to sue and get £75k off the pub

I’m sorry this has happened. Why they didn’t blur your faces or edit post to say it’s the couple in the pic. Not the family

contact police if getting abusive calls

It’s not in doubt that she paid

Op that’s really horrible. Poor you. I’d definitely tell them you are cancelling next week’s booking and you’ll go elsewhere

In the example you gave a pub falsely accused someone. This pub haven't accused ops party of stealing. The situations aren't the same.

What they have said is definitely defamatory if other people have assumed you are the perpetrators of the theft. You need to screenshot the comments where people are assuming it’s you as they are the proof you will need for a defamation claim. Obviously it needn’t go that far but they will be useful if you send a letter before action.

Can you also ask your pals to go and post on the page and get everyone to like their post so that their comments become the most relevant and go to the top?

Just a warning if you are going to go public with your receipt please blank out your payment details first. Good luck with this. The place owes you all a big apology.