Maxine Kelly, who oversees the day-to-day operations of The Wheatsheaf in St Helens, has spoken out against customers creating large bookings and failing to appear, as the hospitality industry faces unprecedented strain. According to Liverpool Echo, Maxine Kelly says the strain on the hospitality industry is at an all-time high and no-shows have huge impacts on daily and financial operations. The Wheatsheaf is a family-style pub and restaurant offering a traditional menu, Sunday roasts, afternoon tea, and a large beer garden.
The Wheatsheaf shared a post on Facebook on Wednesday, March 3, shaming a no-show of a table of 13. The Wheatsheaf typically requests a deposit for large bookings, but this booking was a rare exception made late last week. The team at The Wheatsheaf set the table for the guest's arrival around midday, and when they failed to appear, they rang the organizer.
We’re extremely disappointed. A table of 13 failed to show up for their booking. We called the contact number they answered, heard us say hello, then hung up and have not answered since. Large tables mean extra staff, prep, and turning other customers away. That has a real impact. If your plans change, please just let us know. We’re human. We understand. But this behaviour is incredibly unfair on small businesses. Thank you to all of our genuine customers who continue to support us.
A woman had asked for a table for 13 people, answered the call but quickly put it down when realizing who was calling, with all subsequent attempts ignored. Altogether, The Wheatsheaf was expecting 21 people and no one arrived. The identity of the woman who booked the table of 13 and the reason for the no-show remain unknown, and the specific financial impact on The Wheatsheaf has not been disclosed.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, March 3, The Wheatsheaf expressed disappointment over the no-show, noting that large tables require extra staff and preparation, and that the behavior unfairly impacts small businesses. According to Liverpool Echo, Maxine Kelly described that the pub was all set up with the room separated so no one could use it, and she expressed frustration that a simple phone call could have prevented the issue, noting it is not fair to keep staff waiting or to turn other customers away. Contrasting this incident, a table of eight was also booked at The Wheatsheaf, but they contacted the venue to explain they couldn't make it, which Maxine Kelly appreciated as it allowed for adjustments in staffing and organization.
We send a Whatsapp asking for the pre-order and deposits but when they didn't get back to us we assumed they were just busy.
According to Liverpool Echo, Maxine Kelly described that not telling the pub affects operations more than cancelling, as it leads to wasted resources and denies other customers opportunities. Beyond The Wheatsheaf, a broader pattern of no-shows is evident at Restaurant Bryggan, which is speaking out against guests who do not show up and do not cancel. According to Helsingborgs Dagblad, every week, it happens that guests who have booked do not show up at Restaurant Bryggan, and one evening a few weeks ago, it was extra bad with three groups not showing up despite a special menu.
The identities of those three groups and whether new policies have been implemented to prevent future no-shows at either venue are not specified, and the specific financial impact on Restaurant Bryggan remains unclear. According to Helsingborgs Dagblad, food prepared and staff on site go to waste when no one shows up, underscoring the recurring challenges faced by hospitality businesses.
I understand it wasn't a busy time but we were all set up and the room was separated so no one could use it. We rang again but they wouldn't answer. It's really disappointing. A phone call takes two seconds and we're the most chilled out people ever, just let us know. It's not fair to keep us waiting.
Altogether we were expecting 21 people and no one arrived. The table of eight explained they couldn't make it but that's all we ask for. I don't mind because it allows us to cancel staff and get things organised but not telling us affects us more than cancelling. At the end of the day, we are turning customers away because we expect the space to be used. It's also not fair on them to be denied something that has gone to waste because someone can't tell us in advance they're not coming.
It's frustrating. If you can't make it, there's nothing anyone can do, b
Food that has been prepared and staff on site – but no one shows up. Restaurant Bryggan is now speaking out against guests who do not show up, but who also do not cancel.
Every week it happens that guests who have booked do not show up. But one evening a few weeks ago it was extra bad – three groups did not show up despite a special menu.