"We visited here a few years ago and had such a lovely time that my step dad decided he would like to revisit for his birthday meal this year. We were a party of 15. Last time we attended it was a bring your own drink policy without any specification as to what you were allowed to bring. So, we all brought our own drinks with us wine, gin, soft drink and beer. When we arrived a couple of our party opened their drink (gin and a beer) and were very rudely told “you can’t drink that in here.” When questioned about the bring your own drink policy they were told that it’s now only wine and Prosecco that you’re able to bring. I have no issue with the information we were given but the tone was unbelievably rude and totally unnecessary. If we’d have been told “I’m really sorry but the policy has changed etc…” then hair enough, but there was no nicety about it. Nonetheless, as the drink had been opened, my step dad was told that he could finish that drink and then buy any further ones, which seemed fine. The lady who opened the gin said she would buy a lemonade to be able to drink the drink she’d poured and then again, buy any future alcoholic drinks. Within a few minutes another member of staff came over and said to my step dad, “you’ve already been told you can’t drink that in here.” My step dad explained that he had been told he could finish his drink (that he’d poured), but if the waiter wanted to take the rest of the can away, he could, which he did. The rest of the evening felt somewhat awkward. At times we knew we were being watched to make sure we weren’t drinking anymore of our own drinks (fair enough). But generally the customer service was poor I’d go as far to say probably the worst I have ever experienced. When meals were brought out the attitude of staff was abrasive “don’t touch the top of that it’s hot” and when placing someone’s meal on the table who sat at the other side, instructing one of the party “you’ll have to slide that over.” There was nothing pleasant about the demeanour of the staff at all. On asking for the bill, 50p had been added as a cost of my step dad opening his own beer. When this was questioned we were told that the policy had changed so they had to charge him for it. There was no information online to state that the policy had changed, or to specify what you can and cannot bring (there was also nothing mentioned in communications with the restaurant during our preorder) and the menu online was out of date. The food was absolutely beautiful but the rest of it ruined what should have been a lovely evening and we would absolutely not return. The only reason I haven’t given it 1 out of 5 is because the food was lovely."
