A Liverpool chef and restaurant owner says he is being blackmailed by people demanding payments
11:35, 17 Jul 2024Updated 12:22, 17 Jul 2024
The owners of a Liverpool restaurant claimed they were being threatened by blackmailers. Chef Andy Sheridan and his business partner Sam Morgan claim they’re being targeted by people who are demanding £2,000 from them, and threatening that otherwise they’ll leave fake negative reviews online.
According to BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours, Liverpool-born Andy and Sam received a message through their restaurant’s WhatsApp booking service asking for thousands of pounds. After the men ignored the threats, the blackmailers shared a one-star review and upped the figure to £2,5000.
Andy, who has appeared on the Great British Menu and Come Dine with Me The Professionals, runs award-winning Restaurant 8, on Cook Street in Liverpool city centre. They also have Restaurant OXA in Wirral which has two AA Rosettes, alongside The Bracebridge in Birmingham and Black and Green in Worcestershire.
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Speaking to the BBC, Sam said despite having several restaurants between them, they are just “two lads trying hard to make a living.” He added: “We are not a multi-million organisation, we don’t have the resources that tackle these things.”
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One of the bad reviews left mentioned items not even on the menu at Liverpool’s 8 Restaurant, leading to Andy and Sam knowing they were fake. It said: “Wine list was very poor and very overpriced. Our chef Jake was fantastic but the lack of drinks choice and excessive price really lets this venue down, how can anyone warrant £90 for prosecco?”
Andy said they do not serve prosecco at that venue and they do not employ a chef named Jake. Another fake review was from a Google account registered in Kentucky.
Andy added: “There will be some people who will pay out of fear. We have got a lot going on, the stress levels are already high, on top of it we have got some plonker trying it on, you take it personally.”