Dunedin pizzeria bombarded with ‘fake reviews’ after Auckland couple walked away

A Dunedin pizzeria is being bombarded with “false reviews” and negative comments after turning away an Auckland couple over Covid fears.

A couple on a road trip to the South Island say they were not allowed into Biggie’s Pizza for a drink once they revealed they were coming from Auckland, despite having left the northern region more than two weeks ago.

The disgruntled aspiring eater and his partner were shocked and angered by the general denial, saying they had no ties to any Covid cases and that they posed no health risk.

But the Stuart St restaurant, which is struggling to survive, is unapologetic for its hard-line stance of banning customers, saying it has the right to turn customers away to protect staff and business.

The restaurant’s owner, Tacey Millard, told the Otago Daily Times that there was no blanket ban on Auckland people.

Staff would ask customers questions about things like their recent travel history and symptoms. Depending on their responses and their attitude, a decision would be made on whether to let them into the facility, he said.

The couple in question were not happy with the questions they were asked, and the restaurant manager decided not to let them dine there.

Since news of the problem broke, the restaurant had been receiving false reviews and negative comments online, he said.

As long as companies don’t discriminate against people on grounds such as race or age, they could choose who to allow into their facilities, he said.

During the current Alert Level 2, it was a matter of taking “extreme precautions” in case a person with links to Auckland, where the community broadcast was in progress, brought Covid to their premises.

The 27-year-old, who had been on the South Island since the beginning of the month, said she was surprised when staff questioned her about recent trips.

Questions included whether the couple had been to Auckland.

” We said yes. They asked us when was the last time we were there and we told them September 1. ”

At that time they were denied entry.

The couple had been touring the mainland for more than a fortnight, supporting local businesses after recent travel restrictions were relaxed.

They hadn’t felt bad during their vacation in the south.

The couple also had no connection to the Covid cases.

The woman, who did not want to be identified, said she could not believe she was being subjected to this level of discrimination.

“We have been traveling around the South Island, trying to support local businesses and everyone has been very welcoming, apart from this bar. We were so shocked and angry that they treated us this way and it’s not good enough, “he said.

But Millard said today that the ban is about protecting people in the midst of a pandemic.

“We are taking extreme precautions and we have the right to put people out of business in these situations,” Aucklander said in a Facebook response to discontent.

“If you actually had the virus, it could put us completely out of business, which is detrimental to a small company like ours.”

– also reported by Daisy Hudson