A POPULAR family-owned Italian restaurant in Rogerstone has put out a plea after being blighted by a spate of customer no-shows. 

Mamma Lina's, located on Tregwilym Road, is asking customers who have made bookings and are unable to attend to contact them to let them know as the number of no-shows is increasing and impacting on their business.

Just last weekend, 30 bookings at the restaurant, which already has restricted seating due to the Covid regulations, failed to show up without warning, left the owners frustrated as they had ordered supplies and rostered additional staff.

Gianluca Pandolfi, co-owner of Mamma Lina’s, said: “After what has been a very tough 18 months for everyone, we are all trying to get back onto our feet and rebuild our business.

"Our local communities have been fantastic and been incredibly supportive which we are truly grateful for but unfortunately we are experiencing a growing number of ‘no shows’ which is hitting us hard.

"What is really frustrating is the fact that last weekend we turned down over 30 bookings because we were fully booked and had ordered supplies and booked staff.

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"If you are unable to visit after booking for whatever reason, please just let us know and we can then offer your place to someone else.

"We know we are not the only restaurant experiencing this at the moment and consequently might have to start taking deposits from customers when they book which isn’t ideal but would commit them to attending.”

Booking platform TheFork, part of Tripdvisor, published data last week showing a 237 per cent increase in the number of no shows since May with 19 per cent - almost one in five - adults in the UK admitting to doing this.

The most common reason was the rise of ‘spread booking’ where diners make reservations at more than one restaurant at the same time to keep their options open.