The Black Lion, Brighton

So, went here on the Bank holiday Saturday night with a couple of friends and it was ok, music playing, reasonable bar service - a generally ok evening. Saw the food blackboard and decided to return the following day.....big mistake.

I'm a comedian and had to be at a fringe event around the corner at 3pm. We ordered our food at 2.15pm, I went for Moroccan Lamb, and my partner decided on a jacket potato with chilli. We ordered a drink each too. And then we waited, and waited, and waited. At 2.45pm my partner asked a waitress what was going on with our food, and was told that it would be with us in a second. At 3pm we had to leave so that I could be at my gig. We asked the waitress to get the manager.

The duty manager Geoff? Jack?, said "This isn't the waitresses fault." We agreed, we hadn't blamed the waitress. He then said, "It's not my fault." Well Geoff/Jack, actually if you're the manager then you should be taking responsibility - or should we go down into your kitchens to complain? Geoff/Jack said that the pub was busy, as if that would excuse such a long wait, the fact that at least four other tables that had ordered after us had been served before us was never explained. He then told us that he was going to refund us for the meals - wow - a full refund for two meals that we hadn't been given - you're sooooo generous. My partner then said that she thought he should refund our whole bill, including the drinks (a glass of orange, and a pint of shandy). He told her that he couldn't do that and that she shouldn't be so aggressive! Geoff/Jack, being upset about terrible service isn't being aggressive; being upset about a manager who frankly couldn't give a toss about what his customers' think isn't being aggressive; asking for a gesture to appease people whom you have let down isn't aggressive - it's called customer relations.

So I can't tell you what the food's like, as they didn't bother serving us with it. I can tell you that the management is rubbish and couldn't care two hoots about how crap their service is. I'd suggest that there are a lot of places in Brighton which will take more care of their customers, go to those places instead.

30 May 2011 18:06