Ship and Trades

The way the manager treated us was the worst part of a lunch that had already gone badly. After I asked politely if my glass of wine could be taken off the bill as a goodwill gesture, since I hadn’t had a meal, he snapped, “But you drank your wine, what’s wrong with that?” I was happy to pay for everything my mum had eaten and drunk. Then, as I got up to take my 87-year-old mum, who has dementia, to the till, he spread his arms to block us into the corner by our table and said, “I recommend you don’t do that.” I was stunned and told him I was only going to pay. He later admitted he’d thought we were going to leave without paying, though we’d never suggested that. We were asked to leave and told we were banned. I take Mum out for lunch every week, and this was one of our worst experiences. The restaurant wasn’t particularly busy, but we waited a long time just to be served. My meal arrived clearly not fresh, which the waitress noticed too, so I sent it back. The replacement took around 40 minutes and was somehow worse, so I told them not to bring another. Through all of it, my priority was letting Mum eat her lunch in peace. The food and waits were unacceptable, and the manager’s behaviour felt aggressive, accusatory and completely unprofessional. Treating a customer out with an elderly parent with dementia this way was disgraceful. I’ve never been treated so badly in a restaurant. What should have been a simple lunch with Mum became deeply upsetting. I’ll never return.

The printed name tags waiting on the table made it easy to see everyone's order at a glance when our group of eight arrived for a Xmas meal. The restaurant had arranged the evening well from the online pre-order onward. Service was timed just right, the staff were friendly, and the food was great. We’ll definitely be back, and I’d recommend it.

Even though the restaurant was far from busy and there were only two of us, we waited 20 minutes for the waiter to take our food and drinks order. Then we found out what we’d ordered wasn’t being served that evening, and our drinks took another 30 minutes to arrive. Not satisfactory at all. Please sort yourselves out.

I only popped in for a quick drink with my son, but the staff served other people ahead of us while I was left waiting at the bar. When I pointed out that I’d been there first, a member of the bar staff shot back, “I haven't got eyes in the back of my head.” Whatever happened to bar staff having a chat, sharing a laugh and a joke with customers? I despair, and then the hospitality industry wonders why it’s struggling. I thought they’d be grateful for the custom. I won’t make that mistake again.