A BOWNESS Italian restaurant lambasted on Twitter by a multi-millionaire television star has hit back at his ‘offensive’ comments.

Straight-talking Duncan Bannatyne, one of five would-be investors in the BBC programme Dragons’ Den, criticised the service and food when he dined at Amore, on Quarry Rigg, Bowness, at Easter.

The no-nonsense businessman, 63, estimated to have a £430 million fortune, tweeted to his 506,000 Twitter followers: “In the worst restaurant in Windermere. Called Amore. Don’t go there.”

It was followed by: “Tragic customer service and food.”

Mr Bannatyne, who owns a string of hotels and health clubs, visited the Italian eatery with his two sons.

Speaking to the Gazette, Ruth Wright from the restaurant said staff were upset that Mr Bannatyne did not complain to them but vented his frustrations on the social network.

“We were offended,” she said. “When he came in we had a children’s party and there were a lot of children here.

“He didn’t book, he walked in and took a table. He knew there was a large family party on.

“It was the noise, not the food, that he didn’t like but he didn’t say a word, so we are upset that he would make a comment without saying anything to us.”

Mrs Wright added: “We have a regular clientele and people that come to us time after time.”

Spotting the TV personality’s critique, Bowness restaurant Porto, in Ash Street, seized the opportunity to invite him to book a table with them.

Mr Bannatyne took to the social media site again later to write: “Having fantastic meal at Porto in Bowness. My boys give Porto nine out of ten.”

Porto’s owner Faye Ramsey said the restaurant gained 80 followers after the plug, which had ‘got people talking’.

“We tweeted him to try to redeem his experience so he left thinking positive, good things about Bowness,” she said.

“He was polite and extremely complimentary. It shows how social networking can help your business.”

Mr Bannatyne later tweeted that he was ‘loving Bowness and Windermere’ and that he had enjoyed a ‘lovely lunch’ at Ambleside’s Wateredge Inn.

He was booked in to the Burnside Hotel and described his weekend stay as ‘great’.