The Kings Arms, Sandford on Thames

I took my mother, who has dementia here recently on a Sunday afternoon. She wanted to wait in the garden as it was such a sunny day. I was nervous about leaving her while I got the drinks, but it wasn't too busy, so, thinking I wouldn't be long I took a chance on it. Ten minutes later I was still waiting, very anxiously. The woman behind the bar was as slow as it is humanly possible to be. There was no sense of urgency, no awareness that people were being kept waiting, and no apology. When, after 10 minutes I complained, I was told that she now had to go and get the last customer his coffee and that this would take even more time (at which point the customer said that he would go back to his table and could wait for the coffee). I complained about the slow service and asked to see the manager and she said she was the manager. I said "so you are responsible for the staff scheduling" and she said "I wasn't to know it would be a sunny day - do you want me to serve you or shall I go and get his coffee". I said (admittedly somewhat impatiently) "just serve me - please". At this point she decided I was being rude and refused to serve me. Wild horses wouldn't drag me back there. (Fortunately Mum was fine). Angela

18 Oct 2010 10:39

The Kings Arms, Sandford on Thames

I took my mother, who has dementia here recently on a Sunday afternoon. She wanted to wait in the garden as it was such a sunny day. I was nervous about leaving her while I got the drinks, but it wasn't too busy, so, thinking I wouldn't be long I took a chance on it. Ten minutes later I was still waiting, very anxiously. The woman behind the bar was as slow as it is humanly possible to be. There was no sense of urgency, no awareness that people were being kept waiting, and no apology. When, after 10 minutes I complained, I was told that she now had to go and get the last customer his coffee and that this would take even more time (at which point the customer said that he would go back to his table and could wait for the coffee). I complained about the slow service and asked to see the manager and she said she was the manager. I said "so you are responsible for the staff scheduling" and she said "I wasn't to know it would be a sunny day - do you want me to serve you or shall I go and get his coffee". I said (admittedly somewhat impatiently) "just serve me - please". At this point she decided I was being rude and refused to serve me. Wild horses wouldn't drag me back there. (Fortunately Mum was fine). Angela

17 Oct 2010 16:57