The Hole In The Wall, Chiswick

I went to this pub today for sunday lunch with 4 friends, two toddlers and a 3 month old. Had read reviews and was looking forward to a lovely sunday lunch out with friends and my family but this did not happen.

The staff were pleasant enough when we arrived and we ordered our food and drinks, our server was very nice and asked whether we wanted the kids meals first - which I thought was quite thoughtful as not many places ask this.

The food turned up and everything was fine until my 3 month old started to become unsettled. She wasn't screaming the place down but she was not happy. Anyway to my embarrassment and shock I was asked to take my baby outside because a couple of people have complained and the member of staff was serious. In the 2.5 years that I have been a mother I have never been asked to vacate somewhere because my child was noisy. Now if this was in the evening or a time not suitable for children then fair enough, but on a Sunday lunchtime where there are other children happily playing around and also dogs barking then I do not accept this...I felt humiliated and upset that I had to do this so I left in tears having hardly touched my �17 steak (which for a sunday lunch is quite dear).

Now to be fair the member of staff did apologise but not for the right reason, he was sorry that he had upset me and that we were leaving, he was not sorry that he asked me to take my crying baby outside. He obviously favoured the other customer that complained even though we were paying customers too (when to be honest if you don't want to be around children don't go to a pub that calls itself 'kid friendly' over the phone and provides childrens menus). I find this attitude very short-sighted and to top it all off he wasn't sorry enough to not charge me for my meal which lay uneaten on my plate but charged the entire party the full price - so much for appreciating your customer.

In short, I will not be recommending this venue to any of my friends (with or without kids). I would write a review on the food however I didn't get to eat it only pay for it!

10 Oct 2010 18:27