Diner charged £215 for cancelling restaurant booking to take child to hospital

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A Michelin-star restaurant has hit back after a couple complained that they were charged €250 (£215) for cancelling their booking - because their sick child had to be rushed to hospital.

The owner of Bastion, a wine bar and bistro located in Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland, said they wished to explain the situation after they were accused of billing the diner's card.

Writing directly in response to the complaint, co-owner Helen McDonalds said that the award-winning eatery "did not charge you for nothing", adding "we charged you sir because you gave us 30 minutes' notice for a cancellation for two people and your table sat there empty all night with all the food that was prepared for you and your wife put in the bin".

The restaurant has only 12 tables and a maximum capacity of 36 diners, meaning customers often have to book well in advance.