It’s business as usual at Wright’s Farm, despite outdated news reports saying otherwise

FRANK GALLESHAW III, head of Wright's Family Restaurant, said the spread of an outdated news story on social media is hurting business at the banquet restaurant. / PBN FILE PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO
FRANK GALLESHAW III, head of Wright's Family Restaurant, said the spread of an outdated news story on social media is hurting business at the banquet restaurant. / PBN FILE PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

BURRILLVILLE – Misinformation on social media can make or break a business, and one local restaurant is feeling the effects of this.

According to a statement from Frank Galleshaw III, owner of Wright’s Farm Restaurant, the spread of an outdated news story on social media is hurting business at the banquet restaurant.

The article being shared is one from spring of last year, when the state Department of Health launched an investigation into the restaurant following an outbreak of the norovirus caused by a sick patron.

In a message posted on the Wright’s Farm Facebook page and distributed by the Northern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce, Galleshaw said, “Contrary to what you may have seen on social media and news outlets, Wright’s Farm is NOT being investigated by the department of health or any other entity. A news story from spring 2016 regarding the unfortunate incident of a young child who came into the restaurant already sick with the norovirus, and exposed our guests to it, has resurfaced on social media and is being shared to the point it was trending as a current news story.”

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Following the isolated incident last spring, Wright’s Farm temporarily shut its doors for a week to sanitize and thoroughly clean its entire facility.

Galleshaw said he believes people are sharing the article based only on its headline, and are failing to read the article or not realizing that it is more than a year old.

“We have always worked hard to enjoy an excellent reputation in our 40-plus years as a family-run business,” said Galleshaw in the Facebook post. “This incident unfairly created a lot of damage to our good name. After a lot of work and with the support of our loyal customers, we have rebounded. However, the recent sharing of this old news is negatively impacting our business again.”

The restaurant’s ownership asks that people help stop the spread of misinformation by letting people know when they post old news, and encouraging them to take the post down.

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