Vine & Fire, a Mediterranean small plates restaurant on St Johns Road in Liverpool, has issued an emotional plea to customers after 31 diners failed to show up for their reservations in a single day. The restaurant, which opened on March 7 under chef-owner Josh Stanton, described the situation as "really hard" for a small business.
Owner's Background and Business Challenges
Josh Stanton brings over a decade of kitchen experience from across the region, having worked his way up through the ranks to become a culinary expert who can "do it all." Despite his industry know-how, he had no formal business training and took the plunge into opening his own venue with no prior knowledge, picking up invaluable lessons along the way.
Vine & Fire enjoyed a strong start, with Josh previously saying the response was "fantastic." However, a recent post from the restaurant revealed the venue had been left counting the cost of 31 empty tables in just one day.
Social Media Appeal and Industry Support
An Instagram notice urged diners to let the restaurant know if they no longer need their table. The statement said: "Just a gentle note to say it's really hard when people don't turn up for their booking without letting us know. Today alone, we had a few big tables that never showed up - adding up to 20 people in total."
A follow-up update posted several hours later confirmed that a total of 31 people had failed to honour their bookings by the close of the day. The statement went on to say: "This is really disappointing. For a small business like ours, every booking matters so much. Empty seats hit us harder than you might realise."
The post was met with an outpouring of support from independent businesses across the region, many sharing strikingly similar experiences. Customers rallied behind Vine & Fire, praising its warm hospitality, menu and service, while expressing sympathy over the situation.
New Booking System and Customer Gratitude
Vine & Fire added: "Thank you so much to everyone who keeps their reservation or lets us know if plans change. It means the world to us." In a bid to tackle the issue head-on, the restaurant is set to roll out a new booking system over the coming days.
The restaurant specialises in Mediterranean small plates which are slightly more generous in size than your typical tapas offering. Shortly after opening his doors, Josh previously told the Echo: "Me and my dad built everything in the restaurant and we opened the first week of March. It's been fantastic. We've been very busy. I did not expect to be where [I am] now six weeks in. The amount of feedback we're getting is unreal. Everyone is loving it. It's one of the best streets on Earth. I've got regulars coming back to me and I've only been open six weeks."
