A RESTAURATEUR hit back at a bad review on TripAdvisor by telling the customer to “stay indoors and watch Jeremy Kyle”.

The Funky Bear in Sutton Coalfield lashed out after a guest claimed the group she was with had received “absolutely disgusting” treatment when they visited.

In a comment on the review site, she wrote: “I can’t stress to you enough on how poor this place is.

“How we got treated last night here was absolutely disgusting.

“Managers and owner (George) were so rude. Told my friend to shut up!

“Food was so vile! No flavour, cold and dry.”

The owner George though claimed the author had been drunk when she visited in November 2018.

He wrote: “When I came to your table I sat with you and you were drunk.

"I never once told you to shut up but actually discounted your meal by 30 per cent.

"Really just to get you out of the restaurant. You were embarrassment. To yourselves.

"Honestly if you can not afford to dine out then please don't eat and drink all you can and then try and get a discount.

"Also, if you can't behave I think its best you stay indoors and watch Jeremy Kyle. The best place for you.

“As you are not welcome to our establishment.”

It’s not the first time the restaurant has come to blows with unhappy customers.

Previously the eaterie allowed a waiter to respond to an “offhand” customer who had claimed the drinks menu had taken 20 minutes to arrive during a visit earlier this month.

The reviewer, calling themselves Chelsea, said they had left even before placing an order, stating the staff were “clearly inexperienced”.

The 19-year-old waiter though was allowed to respond, writing: “We didn’t have any printed off because it had just been so manic so Laura went to grab one (took her maximum 5 mins if that!) and I took it over to them and the man instantly said to me: 'You took 20 minutes for that to arrive' (not true!!).”

The waiter continued: “He was so offhand from the very beginning when all I had been was polite and tried to accommodate to their menu requirements so I just said: 'I'm sorry I will just get my manager to discuss this with you further' because I could feel I was getting upset!

"I have done this job for years and honestly never had anyone speak to me like that for absolutely no reason.

“Have had issues with food etc where people get annoyed but nothing has happened for him to just speak to me like that. was utterly shocked.

"If I had been rude I would understand but I was so lovely and smiley to him, that’s why it upset me and just shocked me really.”

The owner also waded in to that exchange of views.

He wrote: “There are always two sides of the story and the member of staff we are talking about is absolutely amazing.

"I do not see why you would put in your review that the waitress was upset with another table when it was yourselves that made the teenager upset.

"It really shows what type of person you are. I'm glad you had a good time at the Chinese restaurant as I wouldn't want my staff to endure another sitting with yourselves.

"I will stand up for my staff till the end.”

George, who only wanted to be known by his first name told Birmingham Live: "The group was in the restaurant being rude to two of my staff, who were visibly distressed.

"I went to the table and one of the party started covertly filming me on her phone, so I told her she had not authorisation and she put the phone down.

"At no point did I tell anyone to shut up, I would never say that to a customer.

"I did everything I could for them and reduced the bill by almost 50 per cent and they left happy.

"One of the party then saw fit to go on TripAdvisor and write damaging things about the business.

"My response was written in the heat of the moment and I probably should have used different words. I'm a Jeremy Kyle viewer myself.

"But if someone goes online and gives voice to things which are not true, it's going to upset you and they have to expect a voice back."

There have been 449 reviews of The Funky Bear on TripAdvisor with 58 percent rating it as excellent.