AN ITALIAN restaurant owner was alarmed to be asked to pay £100 before he could accept his vital olive oil order.
Sergio Mitrano, who runs La Gastronomia in Bridge Street, was instructed to pay £100 before he could accept his two boxes of Italian oil from UPS.
Mr Mitrano had already paid £300, including delivery costs, for his December order from Italy so was confused over the extra charge.
Previously he’d been asked to pay up to £60 extra, upon arrival of the delivery, but never as much as £100.
READ MORE: Winchester Italian restaurant La Gastronomia has opened its doors
Mr Mitrano said: “If I know in advance, I can decide whether I order. It’s ridiculous, everything has gone up. Prices have gone crazy but I still like to give my customers quality prices.
“After paying the extra £100 on top of the original costs it would be an impossible charge to put on my customers. This price is like stolen money to me. The oil already costs £12.99 for customers because it’s quality oil so I can not increase that anymore.
“The delivery man said ‘you need to pay now otherwise I will take it back’. They need to tell me how much I’m going to be paying before it arrives. How can I do business like this? It’s terrible.
“I’m very upset not just for myself but for anyone trying to order anything from Italy.
“I don’t use delivery services like Deliveroo as they take 55 per cent and I wouldn’t make any money. I don’t follow the money, I follow my passion.
“Someone needs to do something to help small businesses like mine. Prices are changing all the time.”
SEE ALSO: Italian takeaway opens in Stanmore replacing Mexican restaurant
UPS has been contacted for comment and clarification on why Mr Mitrano was charged so much.
La Gastronomia opened in February and has since expanded its seating to upstairs. The business, including a deli, was one of the first independent Italian restaurants to open in Winchester in many years.
More recently, fellow independent Trattoria Di Lorenzo which offers Italian takeaway dishes opened in Stanmore.
For more on La Gastronomia go to sergiocookforyou.co.uk/.
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