Hotels charge upfront after 'dine and dash' cases

The Angel Inn in Wangford, Suffolk, was targeted by a man who stayed for three nights before fleeing without paying

A number of hotels in a county have started asking customers to pay upfront for meals and rooms because "dine and dash" incidents have become so common.

Moss and Co, which runs several inns in Suffolk, was targeted by a man jailed earlier this year for repeatedly leaving venues without paying.

And Paul Brodel, owner of the Kings Hotel in Newmarket, said he recently lost £130 after a group of three dined there.

He told BBC Radio Suffolk they "had everything with cocktails", then said: "Oh, we've got no money, we can't pay."

"They're blatant thieves who go out to deceive," Mr Brodel added.

"They don't realise the consequences of doing this all the time.

"The restaurant industry is really tough at the moment and every penny helps. That's why these things can't be allowed to go on."

Suffolk Police said it was investigating the incident.

Craig Sharp was jailed for repeated "dine and dash" incidents across Suffolk and Essex

David Moss, who runs The Angel Inn in Wangford, described a similar incident there that led to a conviction.

Craig Sharp, 52, of Dockfield Avenue in Harwich, stayed at the hotel for three nights before fleeing without paying.

"When we looked at the cameras, he never parked in our car parks. He parked up the road," Mr Moss said.

He added dining and dashing was a common problem and it was hard for staff to always monitor tables during a busy service.

"If they run up a big bill they can wipe your profit out for a couple of days," he said.

Sharp was jailed for 12 months after leaving businesses with more than £8,000 in unpaid bills between April and November last year.