According to newspaper reports, Basil Fawlty continues to provide inspiration for an hotelier in Newquay, whose letter to one diner who was refused a glass of tap water with her meal was akin to the John Cleese character at his most offensive.

Sally Burchell, who was eating a Christmas dinner with over 50 colleagues at the Atlantic Hotel in Newquay, asked for a glass of water. She was told by a waiter she would have to pay 80p for a glass of bottled mineral water or go without.

After Burchell wrote to complain, the managing director of the hotel, Anthony Cobley, replied in a letter: “I feel the need to enlighten you to the workings of the modern world. I buy water from the South West Water Company. I buy the glasses that the water is served in. I buy the ice that goes in the water and I buy the labour to serve the water.”

“I provide the luxury surroundings for the water to be drunk in and again pay for the labour and washing materials to wash the glass after you have used it – and you think I should provide all of this free!”

Just in case the point hadn’t been made clearly enough, Cobley concluded: “As regards your comment that you will not be returning to the Atlantic Hotel leaves me to say that customers who only drink water and complain about paying for it I can certainly do without.”

Burchell was reportedly rather surprised by Cobley’s response, having explained in her letter that she’d paid over £25 on drinks prior to asking for a glass of water. Mr Cobley declined to comment.