The Roach Bank Inn, Hollins

My family and my sisters family visited this pub last week as we had seen that it had reopened and thought we would give it a chance. Wish we had not bothered. Once again customer service was apalling. After a not too bad start we got our food which was just ok. I had fish which had obviously come straight out of a packet in the freezer but despite that the other meals were ok. After our 4 children had finished their meal we decided to order desserts for them. The 2 desserts on offer were apple pie and custard or chocolate fudge cake. We asked for 4 chocolate fudge cakes WITH custard please....oh my god ! It was as if were asking for a child's head on a plate. We were told that they could not possibly put custard on to the fudge cake as it would ruin the appearance of it ??? After much persuading the bar maid finally agreed that we could have custard separately in a jug (why not say that in the first place ?). We waited with baited breath to see the amazing presentation of this much anticipated chocolate fudge cake but as you guessed when it came out it was, well, just a slice of cake ! Not quite sure what was meant by the comment about custard ruining it's appearance. We finally got a jug of custard as well and all was ok for now. However, when my husband tried to order me a coffee after my meal (quite a normal request one would think) we were told that we could not possibly have a hot drink today ?? - this being despite the fact that a lady on the table next to us quite clearly had a...... Hot drink !! Terrible customer service. This pub only reopened two weeks ago - maybe someone should have a quiet word and advise them to try their best to give the customers what they want. You never know they might come back again. Clearly we won't be !

8 Aug 2011 01:03

Swan And Cemetery, Bury

We went to this pub after a few recommendations from friends and family. When we arrived we were astonished by the attitude of one of the staff (have since found out that he is called Sean). He was one of the rudest people I have ever had the misfortune to meet. Despite the fact that there were plenty of tables outside he did not want to let us sit there as there were 8 of us and we had had the nerve to not book prior to our visit. His attitude was absolutely terrible and we left pretty promptly without eating lunch. I have passed on this to the people who recommended this pub and actually one of them knew staright away who we were talking about as she had also had dealings with him and his bad attitude when she had asked to be moved to a different table as her and her companion had a constant trail of waiters/waitresses etc walking past them and they wanted a little more privacy. He took objection to this despite the fact that there was an alternative table available. When are people in the service industry going to learn that we are customers - we pay your wages. Without customers you would not exist. After just coming back from 2 weeks in Turkey where the customer service is first rate, when nothing is too much trouble for the bar and restaurant owners I am astonished at the dire customer service in some establishments in this country. They seem to think that they are doing you a favour when actually they would not exist without custom ! I will never go to this pub again and I know other people who have said the same. Maybe they need to sort out some staff training in how to treat customers or else change their staff !

7 Aug 2011 17:58