Restaurant suddenly shuts down after 17 years in business, leaving everyone who had purchased vouchers or made reservations well in advance high and dry: no refunds and a dozen customers on a rampage. The story that raises questions about consumer protection happens in Birmingham and outrages the web.
Cover photo: @pexels
The News
“You snooze, you lose”, goes an old proverb, but, in this case, it seems that not only you lose your place, but also your money. Across the Channel, a major controversy has been brewing in recent weeks around Purnell's - a famous Michelin-starred restaurant in Birmingham - following the complaint of at least twelve diners who accuse the restaurant of closing its doors without refunding vouchers purchased for a dinner at the restaurant.
“My £750 vouchers are useless after the restaurant closes,”, says Therese Roberts, a former marketing executive, now retired. Therese last Christmas had purchased a voucher for dinner at the restaurant worth £500 for her son and one worth £250 for a friend. Mrs. Roberts had been to Glynn Purnell 's restaurant with her husband, describing the experience as so great that she wanted to give it to her loved ones, but the surprise was bitter.
"I learned about the closure of the restaurant from the BBC, I knew nothing about it. I, therefore, contacted the receivers, but was told that my vouchers were in no way redeemable or refundable. I even asked if I could spend them at one of Prunell's other restaurants, but no dice. I thought he was a better man. This matter left a bitter taste in my mouth. I thought he would understand what it means to be an ordinary person and make sacrifices for a gift."
Sean Devlin, retired principal of Malvern, Worcestershire, on the other hand, again for Christmas, had received a £110 voucher for a five-course meal for two, but when he tried to make a reservation he found that the restaurant was no longer in business. "I didn't get any information from them. It makes me really angry. They had a hard time, but so did a lot of other people. I'm sure they made a lot of money over the years."
Angela Blacker, of Broseley in Shropshire, also received the same voucher as Devlin as a gift for her 60th birthday, but she too could not “savor” it. "I am shocked at how we were treated. We received no indication, absolutely nothing. It is not our fault that the restaurant closed. I was looking forward to going to a fancy place, but now it won't happen,", she recounted.
Upon learning of the controversy, which rightly arose, Mr. Purnell said he was very sorry for the incident, while stressing that the closure of the restaurant is in the hands of the liquidators. "I am very grateful for the support we received during the unfortunate and unexpected closure of the restaurant after 17 years. We have been informed that refunds can also be requested through customers' banks and credit card companies. I can do nothing but apologize for this difficult situation,", he told the BBC.
