A ‘FLABBERGASTED’ couple have received an apology from a South Lakeland hotel after their drinks bill labelled them as ‘old people’.

Phyllis and Robert Hidden had enjoyed a lunchtime drink at The Riverside Hotel, Kendal, which left a nasty taste when they scrutinised the bill and saw how a member of staff had referred to them in identifying their table.

The hotel has written a letter of apology to the couple, which said no disrespect or harm was meant by the wording.

Mrs Hidden, aged 80, said they had only spotted the label on the receipt a few days after the lunch last month.

“I thought nothing of it at first until my husband pointed it out to me and I was shaking with temper,” said Mrs Hidden. “I was incensed.”

Mrs Hidden called the hotel to raise the issue and told them how “disgusted” she was.

“This is appalling behaviour,” she continued. “It’s a terrible thing to label people like that. It should be table numbers you should be making a note of, not labelling the customers. Age shouldn’t be what defines you.”

Before the couple left for a holiday they had demanded an apology from the hotel on Beezon Road and said they would be expecting one on their return.

Unfortunately, no letter arrived, which provoked the situation further.

“Had I received an apology in the first instant I would have let this go,” said Mrs Hidden.

However, an apology was received by the couple a month after the incident.

The hotel’s general manager Jennifer Boow stressed the wording had not been intentional.

“We would like to apologise,” she told the Gazette. “The issue has been raised and the member of staff concerned has been spoken to.

“They (member of staff) were extremely apologetic and didn’t mean to cause any harm by what happened and no disrespect was intended by the wording.”