Internet troll threat to ruin Shrewsbury hotel

An internet troll with a personal grudge has left a Shrewsbury hotel and restaurant in turmoil after posting damaging reviews on a website and attempting to bribe the owners.

Mike Avery, director of Cromwell’s Hotel, Wine Bar & Restaurant, said the attacks were ruining his business.

The reviewer, who is using false names and aliases, has posted the negative reviews on TripAdvisor describing the business as ‘unbelievably bad’ and claiming the food is ‘only fit for a dog’.

One review, posted on Tuesday, says: “Everything about the place is poor from the service to the food. They should be ashamed to call themselves a restaurant!!”

The reviews have left Cromwell’s reputation in tatters and Mr Avery said if they were not removed he may be forced to close with the loss of 20 jobs.

Mr Avery claimed TripAdvisor had refused to remove the comments or the company listing, and said he was pursuing legal action.

It comes just six months after The Good Life restaurant in Shrewsbury was also the victim of net attacks on the online review site.

Mr Avery, 52, who runs the hotel on Dogpole with his wife Karen, has posted a £5,000 reward for information which leads to a successful prosecution.

He said: “I had a telephone call put through to me on July 7 and a voice said: ‘You are going to have a problem with a few bad reviews, but it can be sorted out with money’ before the line went dead.

“Regulars and people in town know these reviews are fakes but mud sticks and straight away people have noticed and it is having a massive impact.”

A spokesman for West Mercia Police said they were investigating the allegations. Hayley Coleman, a spokesman for TripAdvisor, said they had a ‘zero tolerance policy’ on fraudulent reviews and that allegations of blackmail were taken seriously.

By David Seadon