This is the ‘scary’ moment a couple allegedly attacked restaurant staff after complaining about their meal, captured in shocking CCTV footage.
Footage of the incident, which happened at La Bella Vista in St Leonards-on-Sea, Sussex, last Saturday, shows a man in a red top and a woman in a black top in an altercation with staff.
The staff try to make the couple leave, and as they walk towards the exit, the woman can be seen throwing glasses and cutlery before removing a tabletop and smashing it on the floor.
It came after the couple had allegedly asked for extra strong drinks as well as off-menu items and had been rude to staff throughout the meal.
Restaurant staff claim they have been left with bruises, dislocated fingers and cuts to their faces following the vicious-looking fracas.
Video grab from this shocking footage shows an alleged attack on restaurant staff at La Bella Vista near Hastings, East Sussex
As the ‘rude’ couple walk towards the exit, the woman can be seen throwing glasses and cutlery
Staff claim they have been left ‘black and blue’ as a result of the incident last Saturday
Emilia Esposito, administration manager at the Italian restaurant, said: ‘During the course of the meal they were acting strange – refusing to make eye contact and asking for off-menu items.
‘They also asked for their drinks to be extra strong.
‘They became increasingly rude and disrespectful to us throughout the meal.
‘They complained about the food after finishing their main courses, saying it was disgusting.
‘They then said they weren’t going to pay, and because this has happened to us before, we insisted that they had to pay.
‘That’s when they started to argue, and it escalated. The man went after our boss and attacked him.
‘He came around the back of the bar and started pushing him.
‘The woman then picked up and smashed our glass tabletops out the front of the restaurant.
‘Our boss has visible cuts on his face, the staff have bruises from where they were trying to defend the restaurant and our boss.
The woman allegedly picked up a glass table and smashed it on the floor after the heated fracas
A woman can be seen throwing a glass top on the ground. A woman has since been arrested following the incident
Glass can be seen strewn across the ground after the glass table top was smashed on the floor
‘It’s a scary incident. We’ve all pulled together as a team but it’s scary – and never something we’d have expected to happen to us.’
It was also reported that a weapon was used to threaten staff following a dispute over the payment of their bill, Sussex Police said.
Sussex Police said a 39-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage, common assault, and assault.
She has since been bailed pending further enquiries. Meanwhile, officers are still trying to identify another suspect.
Restaurant manager Kat Cmokova told the BBC: ‘The owner, my boss, had his finger dislocated and cuts on his face. And the rest of the staff had some bruising.
‘My colleagues keep coming up to me to tell me they found more bruises overnight. They are black and blue.’
The restaurant also posted about the incident on Instagram.
Sussex Police said: ‘On Saturday (October 12), at around 5.40pm, officers responded to a report of a woman and man fighting with staff and damaging property inside a restaurant in Grand Parade, St Leonards.
‘A further report was made to police that a weapon had also been used to threaten staff following a dispute over payment of their bill.
‘Officers arrested a 39-year-old woman from Crawley nearby in Saxon Street on suspicion of criminal damage, common assault, and assault.
‘She was taken to custody, and has since been bailed with strict conditions pending further enquiries.’
Anyone who witnessed the incident or has footage that could assist the investigation is asked to contact Sussex Police, either online or by calling 101 quoting reference 917 of 12/10.