Wetherspoons customers at its Norwich pub have been told they will no longer receive a refund if a hungry seafull steals their food.
Regulars going to the Glasshouse JD Wetherspoon pub in the Norfolk city are well aware of the cunning birds, but visitors have been caught off guard by the animals swooping down for an easy meal.
Unlucky guests were previously offered a refund if they fell victim to the brazen seagulls snatching food off plates.
But the thefts have become so frequent that a sign now warns customers not to leave their food unattended, saying they are ‘unable to refund or recook meals’ stolen by the gulls.
The sign reads: ‘Seagulls!! Please do not leave your food unattended at anytime.
A spokesman for the site has confirmed they are ‘reviewing the problem to see whether any additional measures are necessary to deter the gulls.’
He added: ‘The birds have caused occasional problems at the Glasshouse, particularly in the summer months.
‘The signage is in place to encourage customers not to leave their food unattended.’
Some punters are unhappy about the pub chain’s move to stop seagull-related refunds, saying that the’aggressive things’ have been wreaking havoc and are calling for a ‘fairer’ solution.
Isla Gardner, 19, who lives in Thorpe Hamlet, said: ‘I have seen vicious seagulls in the garden before.
Gillian Nobbs, 78, who lives on the outskirts of the city near the ring road, said: ‘If a pub has outdoor seating, they should do something to get rid of the birds.
‘It’s not the responsibility of the customers to keep the birds away, it’s the responsibility of the business.’