YOU might have heard about Latvian film student Janis Nords last month.

He paid a heavy price after wooing his girlfriend at top London eateries, then leaving without paying. Some might say not heavy enough.

Irrespective, what lessons can Liverpool city region eateries learn from the experience moving into 2011 and in what is a peak period for the broader leisure and tourism trade.

Should, for example, restaurants prohibit people from being allowed cigarettes in between courses? Should they give their credit cards to staff before leaving for a smoke? Should all restaurants employ door staff to prevent the problem?

In speaking with our many leisure and tourism clients about it, they unanimously insist that, being in the hospitality game, they need to remain vigilant, maybe more so than before, and use their intuition if they feel someone is about to leaving without paying.

They point blank refuse to take more action than this in dealing with what is, legally, fraud.

It’s all about training, said one client who didn’t wish to be named. “Spotting potentially suspicious circumstances without being over- zealous is key.”

Every eaterie I know and respect ensures their customers “feel the love” every time they step in.

Within Liverpool’s burgeoning wining, dining and entertainment market, customer service and experience is continually on the up, so we don’t need draconian measures like those mentioned above to stifle our progress. Ultimately, we want to be able to maintain our status as the sixth most popular tourist destination in the UK for overseas visitors and keep on improving on that.

This is the most welcoming city I’ve ever lived, worked and played in. Let’s keep reinforcing that fact. Happy 2011.