Popped out for Sunday lunch today. It was my partner's birthday. We had eaten at The Hollybush in Seighford quite a few times before and been satisfied and had not been within the last couple of months. In short, we were surprised to be so disappointed today. I had the Sunday roast (beef), my partner who is veggie ordered a cheese salad and chips. I was really hungry (having been for a run in the morning) so I ate the plate full mainly out of hunger rather than enjoyment. The cauliflower and Brocolli was overcooked and falling to bits in the dish. The roast spuds were like bullets. My partner had chips with her salad which were tastless and overcooked as if they had been standing there for hours (how do you get chips wrong?). Her salad was really unimaginative, some leaves with pieces of raw carrot and onion and then fat wedges of cheddar (which was nice enough but a nicer more imaginative salad would have been better). Dressing for the salad was unlike any dressing we've ever had before (not in a good way). When asked when paying how was the meal I decided to give my honest answer and said that it was 'ok' and 'we wouldn't be hurrying back' and there seemed no interest in keeping us as customers or apologies or knocking a bit off the bill or any kind of gesture of any kind. Why bother asking, I thought to myself! Also whilst I was paying, the waitress taking away the plates asked my partner if everything was ok with the meal and again, my parter gave an honest answer that it was 'just about ok but nothing more'. Again, no apology or interest, the waitress just walked away with the plates. Again, why bother asking? Customer service training would be useful. They certainly didn't seem empowered to make things right for customers.
The people who had been on the next table to us had also looked very disappointed with their salads and both left very soon after only half eating their meals.
Anyway I actually hope the pub does well as a community owned business. And my sense is that we won't be back in a hurry (especially if we have invited friends out for dinner). What a shame! read more
