SHOCKING footage shows the moment a brawl broke out over “hair in food” with the restaurant owner allegedly threatened by knives from his own kitchen.
Horrifying CCTV shows two people violently attacking staff and customers after they tried to leave La Bella Vista in East Sussex, without paying.
When they were challenged, the man threatened to get knives from the restaurant kitchen to stab him with, owner Aldo Esposito claims.
Staff and customers were left with cuts and bruises and Aldo dislocated a finger during the incident last Saturday.
Manager Kat Cmokova said her frightened workers had been left “black and blue” with bruises.
Aldo, 52, says that his gut feeling told him that the couple were going to be trouble when they walked in.
He said: “They said they had a booking, but we couldn’t find it.
“It was quiet, so we gave them a table anyway. They seemed to be fine to start with.”
But despite eating everything they were given, Aldo said the couple became increasingly demanding and awkward.
He added: “They were very arrogant. I’d already understood they were going to be trouble and I decided to keep an eye on them.
“I went to check on them, I was standing only two or three metres away.
“I thought they might try to plant something in the food.
“At the end of he meal, he called me over with his finger like the way you would call a dog and said ‘Hey mate, this is disgusting and we found a hair in it.'”
This is when things started to get a bit dirty, Aldo said.
Aldo claims he told the man that he knew what he was trying to get at and said “you’re not going to get away with it”.
The owner then told the couple he would make sure they paid for their meal.
He claimed: “I took her phone and she said ‘I’m going to slap you if you don’t give me back my phone’.
“Then the man told me he was going to the kitchen to get a knife to stab me.”
Aldo alleged that the couple left then came back to retrieve the phone.
The restaurant owner said: “He was big and I was trying to protect my staff as he was trying to smash his way in.
“Other people in the restaurant were injured and would be traumatised.
“She smashed two glass table tops outside the restaurant.
“We chased them and they got in a car and drove off.”
Sussex Police later confirmed that a 39-year-old woman from Crawley was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage, common assault and assault and has since been bailed.
The force are still trying to identify a further suspect.
A spokesman said: “On Saturday, October 12, at around 5.40pm, officers responded to a report of a woman and man fighting with staff and damaging property inside the La Bella Vista restaurant in Grand Parade, St Leonards.
“A further report was made to police that a weapon had also been used to threaten staff following a dispute over payment of their bill.
“Officers arrested a 39-year-old woman from Crawley nearby in Saxon Street on suspicion of criminal damage, common assault and assault.
“She was taken to custody, and has since been bailed with strict conditions pending further enquiries.
“We are continuing to work to identify a further suspect, and ask anyone who witnessed the incident or who has footage to assist the investigation to make a report to police.”
