Future of Kent restaurant in doubt after losing £50,000 to scam

The owners of a restaurant inside the Turner Contemporary art gallery in Margate, are worried they could lose their business after £50,000 was taken by fraudsters.

Natalia Ribbe said her biggest concern would be having to let go the 17 staff that work there, during such difficult financial times.

Jackson Berg, Co-owner of The Barletta Restaurant, said: "I just keep saying to my accountant that we need a Christmas miracle. We've worked really hard to salvage ourselves in the Margate restaurant scene and it seems really heartbreaking to think that it could all be taken away because of some criminals."

Joint owner, Natalia has said the sophisticated fraudsters had knowledge about her banking.

She said they sent a message from her online banks app and masqueraded as officials from the same bank, persuaded her she was under cyber attack and should move her money into a new account, which then disappeared.

• Natalia Ribbe, Co-owner, The Barletta Restaurant:

Natalia said she is concerned about the future of her business and her employees.

She said: "They'll have to go find other jobs and we are looking down the barrel of insolvency, and that is the worst case scenario, I hate to dramatise it, but that really is the reality of the situation."

Natalia's bank said this type of swindle is not covered, so they won't return her money.

Last year, more than 1,000 people in Kent and Sussex were targeted by cheque, card and online banking fraud, with loses adding up to almost £5M.

The restaurateur said she hopes the business can trade its way into a bright future but feels as though fraudsters have stolen that from her along with the money.

One of Natalia's friends has set up a Go Fund Me page to try to save the restaurant.