A busy Merseyside pub hit back at "keyboard warriors" after claiming a negative TripAdvisor review was a "complete and utter lie".
The Windmill in Southport received a bad review which prompted the pub's owner, Neil Walsh, to respond on the site.
The review, posted by a Mr Nelson, said: "Service terrible, waiting one and a half hours for food. Pre booked groups of us have been going to the Windmill [on the] first Sunday in August for over 20 years, we will never visit again."
READ MORE: Dad in £200k of debt now owns multi-million pound company
In response, the owner replied to the review, claiming the group were "obnoxious" and said a "well done" to his staff for dealing with the group.
He said: "Mr Nelson, Firstly thanks for taking the time to review us but that's where my thanks stop! For the people reading this review please let me tell you the situation.
"This gentleman did in no way pre book, he rang up and said there would be 20 or so people arriving in dribs and drabs, he was actually OFFERED by our member of staff to make a reservation, baring [sic] in mind a reservation is for a space only and there was no mention of food. The gentleman declined as everyone would be arriving in dribs and drabs.
"Fast forward to today and on an already busy Sunday, around 20/30 people turn up in one go and proceed to order drinks and food. As you can imagine ordering food in such a large number put enormous strain on our kitchen which at the time was also serving other people in our pub!
"You were all quoted a wait time of one hour 45 minutes and after the rude and obnoxious way you spoke to my staff who had served you as quickly as they could we actually got our food out in that time!
"We have a kitchen which can only get food out so fast and I find taking the coward's way out to slate us on TripAdvisor is offensive!
"If I remember correctly before Covid the same thing happened in 2019 and you rocked up with NO warning and we bent over backwards for you to accommodate you.
"You may have come on the first Sunday for 20 years but as we have become extremely busy since we took over if you do not book and just assume we can accommodate you when 20/30 of you turn up then I'm sorry but there will be delays.
"I hope that helps clarify for anyone reading this 'review' and I want to say well done to my team who had to put up with rude and obnoxious comments from certain members of your group, particularly the man in the hat!"
The pub has seen its reputation sky rocket since the current owners took over two years ago, and is even a "Traveller's Choice 2021" on TripAdvisor, where it carries a 4.5 star rating.
The response to the review didn't end there, with the pub owner taking to Facebook to share the review and call out the "complete and utter lie".
He said: "I don't usually bite at bad reviews as there is always something we can gain however this one is a complete and utter lie!
"No pre booking, and my staff were run ragged and yet managed to cope even when being spoken to like dirt.
"As a business and like many other businesses we have come through so much in the last two years and I won't stay silent when a 'keyboard warrior' won't have the b**** to speak to us in person if something wasn't right even though we gave them a wait time and got their food out in the time we stated which they placed their order knowing the wait time!
"Well done to my staff who worked extra today [Sunday August 1] to make sure everything was great!"
Receive newsletters with the latest news, sport and what's on updates from the Liverpool ECHO by signing up here
