The Barmy Arms, Twickenham

We had a great time at this pub on Saturday night, spent a lot of money and stayed until they closed. The staff were excellent, very polite and engaging, and at closing time came around with plastic cups and asked us to leave shortly. A little while after this, the landlady came out - who hadn't been around all evening, and hadn't served or spoken to us - and began to shout very aggressively that we had to get out immediately. She physically manhandled my friends and in particular a friend of mine who wanted to get his girlfriend's drink back, particularly as it had been put into a plastic cup so that she could take it with her should she so wish. It was basically the worst customer service I have ever experienced; I went back and asked for her name so that I could make a formal complaint. After shouting at me in disbelief and saying that she was the landlady so there was no point in me complaining, she slammmed the door in my face. I'm aware that it's difficult to complain about the way you are treated when it's obvious that you've been out somewhere for a drink, especially on a Saturday night, and that in many ways it will seem hard for my argument to have any weight as it can easily be passed off as drunken ranting. But that argument would mean that this whole website could be written off as vitriolic, which isn't the case. I just can't understand how manhandling and shouting at customers who have spent a lot of money in your pub is in any way good customer service; she has lost herself around twenty customers, and ensured that by word of mouth she will probably lose herself more. I only hope that someone else reads this review and chooses not to go there; there are plenty of other great pubs in Twickenham where you are treated like a human being, by staff who are aware that you are effectively paying their wages.

12 Sep 2011 10:55