A businesswoman has asked for help to find three men who she says “dined and ran” at her restaurant on Tuesday night.
Elle Bolland, 32, who spent more than £1million renovating a former hotel and setting up her restaurant with 30 staff, released CCTV images of the suspects.
The three men arrived in a van and parked in the car park of the Station Restaurant & Bar in Blaxton, Doncaster.
Mrs Bolland, who is eight months pregnant with her second child, said she had become angry at the cheeky group who allegedly hoarded a £150 bill and ate their food while drinking cocktails.
‘If people like this get their way then businesses could face closure.
‘You still have to pay the bills and the staff. People who leave without paying, especially if they have ordered a steak, can send you downstairs.
The three men are seen sitting at the table on the right before running off without paying.
The men arrived in a van and parked in the restaurant’s parking lot.
The men racked up a £150 bill and finished their meal drinking cocktails.
The men dined at the Station Restaurant & Bar in Blaxton, Doncaster.
Elle Bolland, 32, who spent more than £1million renovating an old hotel and setting up her restaurant with 30 staff, released CCTV images of the suspects.
They hadn’t made a reservation and the walk-ins were directed to table 115, where they feasted on ribeye steak, tempura prawns, meatballs, stuffed mushrooms and a burger.
They complemented their meal by drinking six ‘Sex on the Beach’ cocktails made with vodka, peach schnapps and cranberry juice.
They then calmly exited, walked to their vehicle and sped away. An ANPR camera at the car park gate recorded the number plate which was handed over to the police.
A Mailonline check on the DVLA government website shows the truck has not paid tax since December 2023 and is being used illegally on the road.
But Ms Bolland handed police CCTV images of the suspects from both inside and outside the restaurant.
Manager Anne Louise Inman told Mail Online: ‘The three young men entered the restaurant and appeared as friendly customers.
‘We thought they were indulging in the fact that having two cocktails each on a Tuesday night wasn’t normal.
The three men arrived in a van and parked in the parking lot of the Station Restaurant & Bar.
The men were captured on security camera images outside the restaurant.
The men had not made a reservation and the walk-ins were directed to table 115, where they feasted on ribeye steak, tempura prawns, meatballs, stuffed mushrooms and a burger.
One of the three men is seen talking on the phone wearing a gray t-shirt and shorts.
‘But they had the food, starters and mains, and sadly left without paying. Our on-call staff alerted me immediately.
‘I called the police and informed our owner. We checked the security cameras and obtained the vehicle registration. They were in a factory van.
‘We have posted the post on social media platforms in the hope that they will pay again!’
A South Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “We are investigating reports of a robbery at a restaurant in Doncaster on Tuesday night.
‘A group of three men in their 20s are reported to have escaped without paying after eating and drinking at a restaurant on Station Road.
“Inquiries are ongoing and we would urge anyone with information to contact us on 101, quoting investigation number 14/98692/24.”
Mrs Bolland, who bought the building seven years ago, added: “Some people might say £150 is a drop in the ocean for a business, but it is a lump sum.” People who do this dine-and-run thing seem to get away with it.
