Vine & Fire, a restaurant on St Johns Road in Waterloo, has introduced a deposit system after a day when 31 customers failed to show for their bookings. Owner and chef Josh Stanton described the impact as “really hard” for a small business.
Restaurant’s Plea and Community Response
The restaurant, which opened on March 7, shared a heartfelt plea on social media asking customers to honour their reservations. The post highlighted the financial pressure of empty tables on an independent venue. Regular customers and other local business owners expressed sympathy, with many sharing similar experiences.
Deposit System Announced
In response to the no-shows, Vine & Fire announced a new booking system requiring deposits. From now on, guests pay £5 per person Tuesday to Thursday and £10 per person Friday to Sunday. Deposits are refunded if cancellations are made with at least 24 hours’ notice, but retained for unnotified changes or no-shows.
“After careful consideration, we’ve introduced a small deposit requirement for all future bookings,” the restaurant said in a statement. “This was not an easy decision, but it helps us ensure we can continue to provide the best experience for all our guests, especially after recent no-shows.”
Impact on Small Businesses
Josh Stanton, who has over ten years of kitchen experience, said the business side of hospitality has been a steep learning curve. The high rate of missed reservations creates severe financial pressure on a small independent business operating with limited capacity.
