Openly overcharging & refusing to refund...
This is about the principle of knowingly overcharging, not apologising, and refusing to refund the small over-charged amount of £2, despite overcharging being unlawful ...
Rose & Crown pub, Church Place, Ealing, W5 4HN: A Fuller's pub.
I've had a pint and a rump steak here a few times since Nov 25. Last night I asked for usual Padron peppers (on menu at £5.50) and pint of Peroni (£7.55) first. I was charged £14.05 on debit card and queried it against the printed menu by the bar. Barman agreed they were overcharging but refused to refund the £1. This was checked with duty manager (bolshy lady I'd noted previously). Again, refused to refund. No apology offered, either. The attitude was starting to get offensive.
I checked my wallet and found another receipt when this had happened. Took a copy of the printed menu by the bar. Told barman I'd have my rump steak at New Inn, just up the road, and did - very nice.
Today, phoned Trading Standards to clarify, who confirmed under Consumer Rights Act 2015 overcharging is illegal, and traders can only charge advertised price. They must refund overcharged amounts. Rose & Crown have been doing this since at least Dec 2025, when I have another receipt showing overcharging. Online banking now shows it happened on 17 Dec, too.
Trading Standards gave this ref: 5090079. Reported to Fullers head office, too, who've replied giving this ref: 11966.
This is a case of foolish, bolshy attitude over refunding - now £3 - which has cost them a bad review here, a reputation on Trading Standards' database, and my weekly steak and pint at circa £2k per year.
Rose & Crown will still have to refund the £3 whether they like it or not. So, nothing to be gained with attitude problems or overcharging, proved with photo of current menu and verifiable till receipts sent to Fuller's head office to sort out as the bolshy manager clearly felt it was reasonable to overcharge customers.
(As for the rump steak at the New Inn, a short distance up the road on the other side, it was very nice. And it's a warm pub in freezing weather like this, without the overcharging and attitude of R&C staff. Copy of receipt for rump steak at New Inn also sent to Fullers, just so they can tally the cost of what their greed in overcharging has cost them per year, as well as reputation here.)