The restaurant behind the threats of legal proceedings to a mother, who gave it three one-star reviews on TripAdvisor, allegedly ordered a groom-to-be to edit his review and checked CCTV to see if a complaining customer actually enjoyed her meal.

High Rocks in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, is pursuing legal action against 44-year-old mother Sarah Gardner after she gave the eatery three one star reviews, described the staff as 'rude' and the food 'mediocre'.

And MailOnline can today reveal that Mrs Gardner is not the only customer who has been threatened with legal action for negative online reviews.

Sarah Gardner posted the negative reviews after she claimed she dined at the picturesque wedding reception venue, High Rocks, in Tunbridge Wells, Kent

Earlier this year, Felicity Gallagher took her seven-year-old boy to the restaurant for lunch and ordered spaghetti bolognese.

In a Facebook review, posted on High Rocks' page, on January 30, she described the dish as 'slop'.

Manager Giuseppe Cappellazzi, 67, went back to check the CCTV footage of Ms Gallagher eating her meal and replied to her post to say that it looked like she 'enjoyed' her food.

Ms Gallagher's initial post said: 'On leaving the park my son was hungry and asked if we could eat in the pub, clearly the pub part is an after thought, and felt sorry for the old guy left to run the bar on he's own, clearly he felt sorry for himself as well, and didn't seem like he really wanted to be there!

'I had the spag bowl for lunch and and baring in mind the restaurant up stairs is Italian could only be described as slop, clearly the importance is out on the restaurant and the wedding venue, such a shame as it could be so much better than it is.'

Mr Cappellazzi expressed his surprise that she did not enjoy her meal and went to explain that he was from the region.

He replied: 'I am sorry that you did not enjoy your Spaghetti Bolognese and am very surprised by your description of it as slop. I am from the same region of Italy that Bologna is in and my Chef made the Bolognese sauce fresh that very morning.

'I note that you made no complaint to the management on the day itself. We value all of our customers and the Pub is no less important to us. In fact the same kitchen serves the Restaurant and the Pub as well as all of our Functions.

'It is the same kitchen and the same chefs. The "old man" serving in the Bar who you refer to as looking as though he would rather be anywhere else has actually worked at High Rocks for over 30 years. I’m sure that if he wanted to be elsewhere he would have gone there by now.'

After Ms Gallagher posted a few reviews which had shared similar experiences to her, Mr Cappellazzi threatened her with a lawsuit and revealed he watched CCTV footage of her eating.

He wrote: 'I know that you can’t please everyone all of the time and we are sorry you were unhappy, but you are deliberately misrepresenting the issue by only referring to the few negative Google reviews. High Rocks has far more good reviews than bad reviews and

'You omit to mention the twenty one 5 star Google reviews, nor do you mention the 92 Five Star Facebook reviews, which is strange considering you posted your review on Facebook. Your posting is therefore malicious. In fact not all of the reviews you have shown are completely truthful and one of them is an outright lie for which we have instructed solicitors.

He went on: 'We have studied the CCTV footage of the day and can say that your Spaghetti was served only ten minutes after you ordered it (the time it takes to cook).

'You appear to tuck into it and appear happy and smiling when you go to the bar to pay.

'Your response to our reply is malicious and misleading.'

Responding to his replies to Ms Gallagher, Mr Cappellazzi told MailOnline: 'If somebody is claiming the staff were rude and that they did not enjoy their meal, we are going to review CCTV.

'We have cameras around the restaurant and have a licence to use them.'

Groom-to-be James Batup claimed he was told to edit a negative review on Google about the restaurant.

He said: 'We had previously left a review and further details as to why, in our opinion, we would not recommend getting married here, setting out issues that arose on the day and our opinion as to the service provided.

'However, we were then sent a letter before action by High Rocks’ solicitors threatening to bring proceedings against us for malicious falsehood.

'As a consequence, we felt we had no option but to remove the full review. We have therefore done so, without any admission as to liability and whilst reserving all our rights.'

Mr Cappellazzi said he would not comment on any more cases.

Sarah Gardner posted the negative reviews after she claimed she dined at the picturesque wedding reception venue.

The part-time nurse said the staff were rude to her when she tried to book a party at the restaurant and also described the food as 'mediocre'.

Soon after publishing her reviews, which have been taken down, Ms Gardner received a letter from London law firm Cohen Davis Solicitors, who plan to take the case to the High Court –claiming that her reviews are defamatory.

The manager of the eatery, Giuseppe Cappellazzi, told MailOnline that Mrs Gardner did not dine at the restaurant on March 22 when she posted the feedback.

But the mother insists she was writing about her general experience, rather than a specific date, as she was a regular to the venue.

The 11-page warning from Cohen Davis Solicitors said: 'The material you have posted about our client on TripAdvisor.com is defamatory and therefore unlawful.

'Our client will pursue you for aggravated damages to compensate it for the full extent of its financial losses.'

Cohen Davis, which is owned by Yair Cohen (pictured), replied: 'We note your purported defences of "honest opinion" or "truth". This, of course, is a matter for you to prove.'

It demanded that Mrs Gardner made them aware of the dates of her visits to High Rocks, the details of her guests and the receipts.

And they attached a draft court order which said: 'PENAL NOTICE: If you, Sarah Gardner, do not comply with this order you may be held in contempt of court and may be imprisoned or fined.'

Mrs Gardner told MailOnline that she feels threatened by the law firm.

She said: 'The letters are very threatening. I don't know what I'll do if it goes to court. I cannot afford a solicitor so I will have to defend myself - I can't deal with it.

'I grew up in the area and have visited the place many times over the years with friends and family. I've been to engagement parties and other events there.

'But I will not be going back after all this.'

She is standing by her comments, and replied to Cohen Davis quoting the then Justice minister Shailesh Vara, who said in 2013, that libel law changes 'will make it harder for wealthy people or companies to bully or silence those who may have fairly criticised them or their products'.

Cohen Davis, which is owned by Yair Cohen, replied: 'We note your purported defences of "honest opinion" or "truth". This, of course, is a matter for you to prove.'

They then also demanded that Ms Gardner handed over copies over her messages which she exchanged with other internet users about her reviews.

The letter ended: 'If you have not done so we urge you to obtain independent professional legal advice'.

Ms Gardner replied: 'I posted an honest review. Your client could have chosen to engage with it and leave their own comment beneath, which would have given their version of events.

'Instead they pursued the nuclear option of threatening litigation.'

Another couple claimed to have removed their review because of a threat by High Rocks' lawyers, but Cohen Davis denied approaching other customers

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Mr Cappellazzi, 67, said that Mrs Gardner had not visited the restaurant on the night in question and had fabricated the review to hurt his business.

He said: ‘We are the bullied party here. We have never, ever disagreed with someone placing a review. What we object to is a fabrication and a lie.

‘She left three low reviews, not one. She took them down because they were false.

'She’s running a vendetta against us which precedes this. It all exploded on a phone call, and this followed it.

‘We have never, ever disagreed with someone placing a low review. That’s someone’s opinion. They’re entitled to that. We live in a free society.

‘But one not entitled to pretend they visited when they didn’t. It’s a fabrication and we are going to take it to court.

‘There are two sides to any story. The idea that after 51 years of serving people that we, I, would take someone to court for placing a low review is absolutely absurd.

‘It is so wrong and so hurtful. She said she visited with her family in March.

'She did not. Isn’t that awful? Isn’t that awful? I’m a proprietor, I have a wife, we have feelings.’

Since first publication of the article Mr Cappellazzi would like to add:

"Ms Gardner telephone us regarding the booking of an important family function. She referred to an outdated online price. We explained this but she refused to accept and after the conversation deteriorated we terminated the call. We followed up with an email confirming that we would not wish to see her at High Rocks. She subsequently posted three one-star reviews on Trip Advisor. She was given the opportunity to show that her reviews were based on genuine dining experience but she declined and has since removed the reviews. We firmly believe people in the hospitality sector have a right to defend their establishment when faced with what they believe to be ‘revenge’ reviews."