A woman who spent £750 on vouchers for a Michelin-starred restaurant before it closed fears she has lost her money.

Purnell’s in Birmingham, which became famous for its contemporary seasonal cuisine, closed in October.

But more than a dozen people contacted the BBC, saying they had been told the vouchers, sometimes worth hundreds of pounds, would not be honoured.

Glynn Purnell, who ran the restaurant, previously said he was heartbroken by the closure, but the chef did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

Therese Roberts, a retired marketing worker from Coventry, said she bought vouchers worth £500 for her children last Christmas, before also spending money on a voucher of £250 for a friend.

She said she didn’t even find out the restaurant was closed until reading the BBC report on this subject.

After contacting the liquidators, Ms Roberts was informed that the vouchers were unrecoverable and refunds could not be issued.

His request to use them at another of Mr Purnell’s restaurants was also rejected.

“I’m really disappointed,” the 58-year-old said. “He calls himself the ‘Yummy Brummie.’ He accuses greedy channels of taking his business, but he will not communicate or reach a compromise with me.

“I thought he was a better man than that. It left a rotten taste in my mouth.”

Ms Roberts had previously visited Purnell’s with her husband, describing it as a “great experience”.

She said she really enjoyed dining at this upscale establishment and wished her loved ones could try it too.

“He seems like a down-to-earth boy from Chelmsley Wood,” the mother added of Mr Purnell.

“I thought he would understand what it was like to be a regular person on the street.”

Ms Roberts was one of many customers who were asked to contact their bank to try to get a refund, but many received them as a gift and in some cases up to a year ago.

Sean Devlin, 72, from Malvern, Worcestershire, said he had arranged a £110 five-course lunch for two tickets, which he could no longer use.

The retired manager received the voucher as a Christmas present last year but was told Purnell’s was closed when he tried to book a table.

“I haven’t received any information from them,” he said. “It really pisses me off.

“They’ve had a tough time, but so have a lot of other people. I’m sure they’ve made a lot of money over the years.”

Angela Blacker, from Broseley in Shropshire, received the same voucher as Mr Devlin, as a present for her 60th birthday.

The retiree was surprised when she discovered her gift would not be honored.

“I’m shocked by the level of customer service,” she said. “We got absolutely nothing.

“It’s not our fault he closed the restaurant. I was really looking forward to going somewhere fancy, but that’s not going to happen now.”

Speaking after the restaurant closed, Mr Purnell said the restaurant was going through “a really tough time” and had seen bookings fall by more than 20 per cent.

“Things have evolved and times have changed,” he said. “In today’s climate, no one is safe from bullets.”

But he hinted there could be more to come, adding: “I’m excited about the future and the next steps in my journey. This isn’t the last time you hear about the ‘Yummy Brummie’ .”

The BBC made several attempts to contact Mr Purnell for comment on the voucher issue but received no response.

We contacted Purnell’s and its liquidator, the manager of Mr Purnell’s, his former press advisor, as well as the two other restaurants that bear his name: Plates by Purnell and The Mount by Glynn Purnell.