The Church Northampton — Attraction in Great Britain

AVOID USING FOR PRIVATE EVENTS. POOR COMMUNICATION AND ORGANISATION ALMOST RUINED MY FRIEND'S HEN DO.

SCREENSHOTS ATTACHED.

Unfortunately I cannot give this zero stars, otherwise I would.

I enquired with Charlotte (who I am assuming is the booking manager/general manager) back in November of 2024 to hire the Church for 2 hours in March 2025. The enquiry email was picked up fine, and I asked about payment details and any deposits that would be needed. I was told that no deposit would be needed and we wouldn't need to pay any money until closer to the event. I felt this was a bit strange for a venue like this, because how do you protect the business/bookings without taking a deposit? However, I filled out the required booking form and sent it across the same day I received it. I didn't get a confirmation email for well over a week, so I called Charlotte directly to ask if she had got it. She said she had and then later that day confirmed this via email.

We got to the end of January, 5 weeks before the event, and I emailed Charlotte to explain I would be getting the money together from the group and would be able to pay it 5 weeks prior. Charlotte replied 6 days later saying she would send me the payment details, but I didn't receive the invoice.

3 weeks later, I emailed Charlotte again asking for the invoice, saying I wanted to make sure we had paid for the venue before the booking. I was extremely conscious of the fact we hadn't put down a deposit, and in my opinion, nothing is truly secured until money has changed hands. This email NEVER got a reply.

I called Charlotte again one week before the event to ask why I STILL hadn't received the payment invoice, and I was told it would be sent over either that evening, or first thing tomorrow morning, but that the booking was 100% secured, so I didn't need to worry. YET AGAIN I never got the invoice sent to me. I had said to my family that I wouldn't be surprised if something happened the day of that meant we couldn't access the venue, because I was so suspicious about not having paid, but I was holding out hope.

The day of the hen do was Sat 8th March (two days ago as I am writing this) and I was prepared to just pay for the booking when we arrived at the venue. HOWEVER, I received a call from Charlotte only 1 hour before the booking was due to take place, explaining that the venue had electrical issues, and legally we weren't allowed into the building. She was apologetic, explaining that she had been on the phone all morning to the electrical company trying to figure it out, but that we wouldn't be able to attend our booking. I understand that things like this can happen, but I find it incredibly suspicious that I had to request the payment information 4 separate times by phone and email and never got it, to then be told the morning of the event we couldn't attend.

Needless to say, I was furious. The Bride was in tears thinking that her hen do was ruined, and all the guests we had arriving at the venue had to be phoned last minute and told to go elsewhere, some of whom were travelling from Newcastle, Nottingham, and London. THANK GOD the weather was nice and we were able to host the party at my Mum's house instead, otherwise it would have completely ruined the day.

I will say though, we had a much better time doing it elsewhere, and I can safely say I won't ever be enquiring to hire the restaurant again. Poor organisation and lack of communication seems to be the name of the game here, so...

I HAVE GIVEN THIS REVIEW 3 DAYS , BEFORE POSTING AS OUR EVENING SATURDAY NIGHT HAS TAKEN SOME TIME TO WORK OUT! SO WE APPROACHED A BEAUTIFUL BUILDING, ENTERED AN AMAZING ENTRANCE BAR, THAT WAS COMPLETELY EMPTY OF PEOPLE ?, HAD OUR DRINKS ORDER TAKEN AND THEN WE SAT, BEFORE BEING CALLED INTO A BREATH TAKING SETTING, WHITE TABLE CLOTHS , TASTEFUL MUSIC,ONLY 3 TABLES WERE FILLED ? WITH 3 X COUPLES. THIS THREW US, AS SUCH A RESTAURANT SHOULD BE OVER FLOWING WITH GUESTS? THEN IS ALL BECAME SO CLEAR: IN ALL MY YEARS I HAVE NEVER REFUSED MY MAINS AND WALKED OUT! AFTER PAYING UNWILLINGLY FOR A POOR STARTER AND DRINKS SERVED IN WRONG GLASSES. FOOD WAS SO BELOW A STANDARD, AS A CUSTOMER I WAS EMBARRASSED WITH WHAT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR TABLE. THE CHEF , EITHER A BAD NIGHT OR A BAD COOK, SORRY SEEMS HARSH? CRUSHED NEW POTATOES WERE LITERALLY WET AND MOOSH, BACON WAS FLABBY AND NOT WITH A FIRM TEXTURE, PEAS IN THE DISH HAD SHRUNK AND DIFFERENT COLOURS AND SHREDDED GREENS WHERE SLIPPING WITH OIL, WHILE A TENDER DELICATE FISH SEA BASE, PLANKED LIKE A SURF BOARD, MY PARTNERS STEAK WAS LUKE WARM AND SET OUT LIKE YOU HAD GONE TO YOUR NANS FOR A FRIDAY STEAK NIGHT, AT £30 FOR A GOOD FILET WITH SAUCE, I WOULD EXPECT SOMETHING THAT DIDNT LOOK SHRINK WRAPPED FROM A SUPERMARKET. PLATES WERE COLD AND FOOD WAS UNATTRACTIVELY PRESENTED AND BADLY EXECUTED! MY STARTER A KINGPRAWN POT WITH CHORIZO, OF WHICH I HAVE A FEELING THE CHEF WAS EMBARRASSED ALSO AS A FIST FULL OF PEA SHOOTS WERE PLACED ON TOP, I REMOVED THE GREENERY, TO ACTUALLY GIGGLE ! 3 PRAWNS LAID IN 5 SMALLEST CUBES OF CHORIZO, SERVED WITH A CUDE OF BREAD, THERE WAS NOTHING SCRUMMY TO MOISTEN THE BREAD ?LACKING ONCE AGAIN IN NO SEASONING, WHERE WAS THE OIL AND CHILLI THE NOMMY POT ? IT JUST LAID THERE AS DID MY APPETITE. UPON BRINGING OUR DRINKS TO THE TABLE WE WERE OFFERED NO WINE/ WINELIST, WE HAD TO CALL THE WAITER FOR MORE DRINKS, IN FAIRNESS BOTH WAITING STAFF WERE APPROACHABLE AND FRIENDLY, LITERALLY A CRYING SHAME !!! THE MAIN 4 X DISHES RANGES FROM STEAK TO A BURGER? TO PORK BELLY AND SEA-BASE, UNSURE WHERE A BURGER FITS IN, IT WAS ALL SO CONFUSING, WASN'T FINE DINING, WASNT GASTRO, WASNT GOOD BRITISH, THE SETTING ENFOLDS YOU INTO THE TRUST OF FINE DINING AND WITH ITS BEAUTIFUL SETTING, BUT TICKS ZERO OF THOSE BOXES, APART FROM THE PORTION SIZE IS SUCH, APOLOGISE FOR BEING SO HONEST. I GUESS ITS A CRY OUT TO SAY WHAT ARE YOU DOING ? ! PRIME LOCATION, PRIME SETTING BUT NOTHING TO ARRIVE FOR :O( AS WE LEFT I WAS JUST AS APOLOGETIC FOR LEAVING, DIDNT KNOW WHAT TO SAY APART FROM...

Having been to church since it opened 60/70 times with my wife and several times entertaining friends and knew most of the staff and chefs and all management going back several years , we have always enjoyed good fayre and service Last week I booked up for our 21 st anniversary and was looking forward to a nice night out .WRONG The person behind the bar at entrance foyer couldn’t pour a large gin and tonic, the , and I say this lightly , manageress had to pour our drinks . We didn’t have time to get half way down when we were almost forced to a table , just sat down when we were given a menu , on an A4 piece of paper not in sleeve , folder just handed to us . 5 minutes later waitress came back for our order , which wasn’t hard , selection somewhat sparse . We ordered , both had same starter and different mains , still no wine list which my wife had to get from another table. Finished our drinks and still waiting fir wine order to be taken when starter came out , at least mine did , another table got their starter the waitress then decided to bring along my wife’s starter , both were same soup , like I said choices were limited , mine was stone cold by this time and inedible. I stood up and went to leave when manageress came in and asking what was wrong. I blew my top , I admit I should not have sworn but what was supposed to be a good night was ruined by staff who should not be working in a greasy spoon , who need training and who will not see me in what was a bloody...