A THREE-AA Rosette chef who is set to open a new restaurant on Prestatyn High Street next month said he and his business partner were targeted by fraudsters threatening to post bad reviews if they did not pay a sum of money.

Andrew Sheridan is set to open Dishes, a small plates restaurant, on Friday, August 2, along with business partners Sam and Emma Morgan, of Open Restaurant Group (ORG).

This will be the seventh restaurant the group has taken on, with other sites in such places as Liverpool, Birmingham and Worcestershire.

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But speaking to BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours programme, Mr Sheridan and Mr Morgan said their chain of restaurants have been hit by one-star reviews of late.

Mr Morgan said he initially received a message stating: “We are aware of your group of restaurants. We are aware of the individuals within those restaurants (namely myself and Andy).

“We are aware that you are opening more restaurants. We require you to pay £2,000, or we’ll be posting thousands of negative reviews on your businesses via Google.”

A first negative review came with a one-star rating, but no accompanying words.

This was later taken down, but more soon followed, and the figure demanded also rose to £2,500.

Mr Sheridan added: “For me, it was (at first) a case of someone trying to pull a fast one, but then obviously, the reviews started to come to light.

“For us if we started going down a few (ratings), it’s really going to damage the bookings.”

While Mr Morgan engaged in some “back and forth” with the perpetrator, he then stopped communication, and five days later, the one-star reviews started again.

“Underneath it all, we're just two lads trying hard to make a living. We’re not multi millionaires,” he added.

"We have got a lot going on; the stress levels are already high. On top of it, we have got some plonker trying it out. You take it personally."

One such review that one of the duo’s restaurants “disappoints with its lacklustre service and mediocre food quality,” adding that the “ambience was dull and prices did not justify the experience”.

But the BBC found that of the fake Google reviews was using a profile picture of a person who actually lives in Kentucky.

And at the same time this person was supposed to be having a bad experience a one of their restaurants in Birmingham, she was posting pictures online at a fair in Kentucky.

Mr Sheridan and Mr Morgan reported the scam matter to Google, Action Fraud and TripAdvisor.

Google and TripAdvisor both took down all of the fake reviews which the BBC found on their respective sites, while TripAdvisor also advised people not to engage in the way that Mr Morgan tried to.

Situated near to where Mr Sheridan lives, Dishes will focus on small, social plates of food and snacks using high-quality ingredients, with diners encouraged to order six plates between two people.

Menu items include smashed cucumber salad with feta and mint; slow-cooked lamb and baba ganoush; scallop tikka with crispy rice; corn ribs with sriracha seasoning and lime; and tostadas avocado and tuna.

There is also a range of flatbreads topped with ingredients such as anchovies, feta and olives, or burnt leek and truffle.

Dishes will also offer a brunch menu on selected Saturdays, and serve Sunday roast sharing platters on Sundays.

Mr Sheridan was working in North Wales when he appeared on the 14th series of BBC Two's Great British Menu.

His flagship restaurant, 8 By Andrew Sheridan in Liverpool, holds three AA Rosettes and is listed in the Michelin Guide.

ORG also runs two upmarket bistros: Black & Green, in Barnt Green, Worcestershire, and OXA in Oxton, Wirral, and The Bracebridge - a pub-restaurant in Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield.