Apartment @ Booth Hall

The welcome was friendly, and the room, bed, and facilities were all fine. There’s a kitchen available, and the shared toilet and bathroom were clean and nicely done up. I stayed one night, and there was a punk rock concert in the pub downstairs. I’ve slept in quieter places! Aside from the noise, it was okay and fair value.

I went to The Booth Hall on 19th August with three family members for my 53rd birthday. I’d called ahead to ask for a table for four to six, but they wouldn’t take reservations before 6pm. They also wouldn’t let us eat upstairs, where the website advertises the "beautifully carved wooden features and fine hammer beam roof." When I called, I was told they might "try" to put two tables together if the place suddenly got busy. We sat down around 4.15pm to order. The bar was very quiet, with hardly anyone there. We ordered three Mega Mixed Grills and an 8oz Sirloin Steak for £30, plus £24 in drinks. About 20 minutes later the food arrived, smelling overwhelmingly of burnt meat, with very dark chargrill marks. It was so dry that a piece of black pudding shattered as I tried to cut it. It looked as if the grill plates hadn’t been cleaned or oiled for some time, and there seemed to be no care or pride in preparing the food. I’ve been a City & Guilds qualified chef since 1983 and would have been ashamed to serve it like that. We tried to carry on, but after a few minutes all four of us gave up and sent the meals back with less than half eaten. Nobody checked on us, and when I told the server clearing our plates, which were still laden with burnt food, about the problem, I was ignored. We had to go on to another venue and didn’t have time to find somewhere else to eat, so we were all still hungry. I was terribly embarrassed in front of my guests and doubt they’ll trust me to choose a restaurant again. I called the next day to complain and emailed "head office," who I was told was the owner. After several emails, I was told these things are easier to sort out when they happen rather than "some time afterwards," even though I’d raised it at the time and again the next day. Then I waited about 10 days for a response. They offered £15 in gift vouchers as a "gesture of goodwill" for the £30 we’d spent on food we couldn’t eat, and for the inconvenience and embarrassment. I declined. That offer felt derisory, as if serving burnt, inedible food is fine as long as it’s half price.

The staff are friendly and engaging, and they make an effort to help customers feel welcome. I’ve had a non-alcoholic breakfast with my girls’ colleagues, as well as good, friendly meals with friends. They do try to accommodate people.

The Wednesday open mic nights are great fun, with a really good crowd that makes everyone feel welcome. Best live music venue in the area.