THE landlady of a Bournemouth pub was left frustrated after a group left without paying the £88 tab racked up, just weeks after being allowed to reopen.

A group left the Goat and Tricycle without paying the bill on Wednesday, and blocked the pub, who had the details from track and trace, from phoning them.

Landlady Natalie Sanders said: “We are not making any money, we have 12 tables outside, it doesn’t matter how hard we work, we still only have 12 tables, we can still only make a certain amount of money.

“Everyone is trying to get in at the moment, our phone is always ringing with bookings and we have these people not paying, it is very frustrating.

“They said it was an accident and blocked my number, it is just really frustrating.

“I hate theft anyway, if you don’t have the money to go out don’t go, if it is not yours, don’t touch it.

“That’s the most upsetting thing. The hospitality industry has been hit hard this year, we followed every single rule to the letter, it is not about the money, it is more about the effort to run a business at the moment.

“I hate people that think they’re entitled, it really annoys me

“If I went inside that bloke’s home, I would not get very far with taking his belongings from him.”

Ms Sanders said she has contacted police and they were planning to come and check CCTV next week.

It comes after pubs reopened on April 12 for outdoor seating only, with the hospitality industry having to wait until May 17 to open indoors.

It means many pubs are making little to no profit while they serve at a reduced capacity.

A Dorset Police spokesperson said: “We received a report at 10.34am on Thursday, May 6 of a bilking incident at a pub on West Hill Road in Bournemouth.

“It is reported that the incident occurred on Wednesday, May 5.

“Enquiries are ongoing into the report. No arrests have been made.”