James Martin has called on restaurant no-shows to have a "little bit of courtesy".
The 48-year-old chef has admitted that the restaurant business is being really challenged amid the coronavirus pandemic, with an increasing number of people booking tables and then failing to show up.
He explained on ‘This Morning’: "The worst case scenario is that my friend had 96 people booked for lunch and only four turned up.
"You can imagine running a business … it’s really difficult, it’s an ongoing problem that needs to be addressed."
In order to combat the problem, it’s been suggested that a deposit could be taken to offset the risk of last-minute cancellations.
But James has admitted there’s no easy solution to the issue, which has been created due to ongoing coronavirus restrictions.
He reflected: "It’s on whether people will accept that, it’s a chicken and egg thing. It’s difficult to know what to do, there’s no answer but hope people have a little bit of common sense and a little bit of courtesy."
Fellow chef Tom Kerridge recently claimed that no-shows are putting jobs at risk across the country.
He explained via Instagram: "To the 27 people that booked @kerridgesbandg and then failed to turn up on a Saturday night….. This industry, like many others is on the verge of collapse. Your behaviour is disgraceful, shortsighted and down right unhelpful….. all of you "no shows" in all restaurants up and down the country are adding to the issues already being faced…. YOU are putting peoples jobs more at risk….. we put staff levels to the number of covers booked and when you fail to turn up, it now costs us, which in turn will force very uncomfortable and hard decisions about staffing levels. You are the worst kind of guest, and that is "selfish". I hope you have good look at yourselves… (sic)"