The Ship Inn, Sandgate

The advice to get out more is much appreciated, too. I was such a big fan of the Ship that once my income dropped substantially and I became unable to afford to go out, I would make that my occasional treat, though in recent times it became a big disappointment because of the sort of reception I got, or sometimes even didn't get.

I'm quite prepared to believe that I'm just unlucky, that at some point prior to my ever posting on this website, I had incurred the displeasure of the landlord in some way unbeknown to me (perhaps it was the drop in income that did it! Who knows?).

A regular customer for 8 years who has never said anything bad about the place to anyone, nor uttered a complaint, I once dare to make a negative comment, ONLY when asked by the landlord why I had left quietly one evening after having waited an inordinately long time to be served or even noticed by any but the barmaid who went off shift a few minutes after I arrived and my complaint is treated with contempt (and not with politeness at all, as "laura_1987" said). Charming, not. I do not need to be told not to go back.

However, what I will attempt to do is to request yet again for my first comment to removed (as I did the day after I posted it) and will also ask for my second to be removed, since frankly the less said about that the better! I can do no more than that. I do not wish this comment to be removed, since the landlord has chosen to publicly attempt to vilify me in the most disgusting manner for daring to criticise and particularly for the previous posting, I now feel this is the only place I can defend myself from his accusations.

31 Oct 2009 15:33

The Ship Inn, Sandgate

Well, having asked for my previous comment to be removed the day after I posted it using the "report this for removal" button, this clearly has not happened. However, I did not post anything that was not true and whilst I am sure there are many satisfied customers, this has been my personal experience. I find "the barmaid" laura_1987's comments quite amusing. Yes, on this occasion I did expect someone to be serving, and since the pub was sparsely populated with customers and I was the only one waiting, I didn't think it would be too much to ask. I never accused the barmaid of being anything other than polite and friendly, but to be left high and dry at the bar like that was not something one should expect in a pub. The only reason this happened was because of the way I was treated when I dared to complain, even though my complaint was an honest one and only made at the request of the landlord. In 8 years I had not made any complaints except once about the beer and yes indeed it was changed immediately. So to be treated like that on that occasion was just too much.

Laura_1987, if you are still working as a barmaid, how about alerting other staff members of a customer who has been waiting some time before knocking off your shift? And no, as I'd already said, I shan't be going in the Ship again and only did last night because I was with a group of people who wanted to go. I have survived without it for 4 months and I'm sure I can survive without it much longer. As for didn't want to "wait a few more seconds", when one has been largely ignored for the better part of 15 minutes in an empty pub with 3 staff members present, it is difficult to predict how long that "few seconds" will stretch to, and everyone has their exasperation point. I didn't make a big deal of it the time, neither did I intend to.

Lastly, I would like to apologise to the landlord's wife and daughter, who have never been anything but lovely and pleasant to me, particularly the landlord's wife who is probably the sweetest person alive. I will also say that in general the staff are great. There is only one person in that place who has made me feel that way and only one reason why I don't go back. I understand the others have taken it personally, but it was never meant that way. Still, family is family and I understand.

I did go back, rather hoping my previous comment had been removed as I requested because I really don't like trouble and besides I am really not proud of it. This is not the way to go about the thing, but the matter is over now. I am sure the landlord sees fit to treat me this way because seldom bring hoards of friends in with me. I USED to think this pub was a good place for a quiet drink and to be left in peace if one wanted (although a drink would be nice!), but obviously I don't think that now, since on the last 3 occasions, it has ended quite badly. So I already got the message, thanks, hence my original post.

Amusingly, amongst the many viscious personal insults the landlord heaped upon me last night, he said with great contempt last night "why on earth should we run around and serve YOU drinks?". Erm, well, because it's a PUB, perhaps? On second thoughts, keep it.

30 Oct 2009 08:33

The Ship Inn, Sandgate

There's no doubt the beer is good. There's no doubt the food is good. However, the hospitality of the landlord is erratic and frequently non-existant and the service is often very slow and quite poor. It just depends who's on.

Having been welcomed into the pub when I moved to the area 7 years ago when I had a good job I spent quite a lot of money in there as a regular. They were also only too willing to take my money after I was made redundant, although I frequently got the impression from the landlord that as a solo female, although regular, I was not ranked as high as male customers because the landlord would never serve me until he had served everyone else, no matter how long I had been waiting. Yet my money seemed good enough to take.

Recently, I popped in on the spur of the moment one Friday early evening directly after a long and stressful day at work for a peaceful glass of wine. The barmaid said hello, but was in the middle of serving someone in the other bar. The landlord came down and saw me but served someone who had just arrived in the other bar without bothering to ask who was first (par for the course, I'm afraid). The the landlord's daugther arrived, the barmaid who had been there when I arrived decided to knock off, happily telling me she was glad it was time to go home as she had been at work since x o/clock (a good deal less time than me). I've worked bars before and there's no way I would go home withough serving someone who had just arrived particularly if they were the only person waiting in the bar, which I was. They all stood round by the till having a chat as the landlorrd told his daughter what needed doing, none of which at any time involved serving their only waiting customer - me. After realising that I was going to be ignored, I left, admittedly none too happy.

A week or so later I went in, again for a quiet drink on my way home after an entertaining evening elsewhere. I ordered a glass of wine and sat in the deserted back bar to read the local paper. I forgot all about the previous occasion. The landlord came in and demanded to know if I had gone off in a huff on the previous occasion. He was very confrontation and I did not want an argument. I told him very quietly that I had left because I hadn't been served and he made some excuses and then a contemptuous noise as if to say that I was being unreasonable before he left the bar again, spoiling what had up to that point been a very pleasant evening. I hadn't been going to bring the subject up, but seeing as he had and I had been honest, not aggressive or confrontational; I did not ask for an apology, but I did not expect this derisive dismissal of my complaint as if the only reason he had asked me my opinion was to rubbish it.

In short, good service, good beer, but a lousy attitude from the management and I won't be going back.

27 Jun 2009 00:40