COUPLE LEAVES WATERSIDE RESTAURANT WITHOUT PAYING £115 BILL

A man and woman left El Puerto restaurant in Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan, without paying for their meal on Monday. The pair consumed eight Coca Colas, a dover sole costing £52.90, a portion of calamari priced at £9.50, and an all-day set menu, accumulating a total bill of £115. Staff recorded the couple's vehicle registration number as MD11 RAN and captured them on CCTV entering and leaving via the main entrance. The man wore a dark sleeveless top and shorts, whilst the woman wore a headband, white top, blue leggings and carried a black handbag.

El Puerto operates from The Custom House, a Grade II listed Renaissance-style building dating from 1865 in the old dock area of Penarth. The restaurant's owner, Tanny Martinez, stated that his family has run the establishment for 20 years. The restaurant appealed publicly via Facebook for the couple to return and settle their outstanding bill, requesting direct contact to resolve the matter. Staff indicated they would prefer to resolve the situation without further action.

Martinez described the incident as "hugely disappointing" for his team, noting that the impact extended beyond financial loss. He stated that the hospitality industry faces "an incredibly challenging economic climate" with rising costs and sector-wide pressures, making situations of this nature particularly frustrating. The restaurant said the couple's failure to pay represented a lack of respect for "the hard work and dedication that goes into creating great experiences for our customers".