National Trust - Hatfield Forest — Attraction in Uttlesford

Beautiful surroundings but awful staff

I have just returned from a walk at Hatfield Forest with my extended family and have to say how disappointed with the cafe staff and their manner.

A customer in front of me asked why the establishment was card only, and was told that he could not pay cash. They explained that there was no facility to store cash, though having frequented this place for the past 20 years, they've always managed to previously. The man went away having been put off by this and didn't purchase any thing for his party. He wasn't rude, but understandably as many of us feel, cash is legal tender and should be accepted.

Your staff hidden in the kitchen, proceeded to then loudly be rude and disparaging about the man and his party in front of a group of up to 10 customers. One staff member was shouting so loudly to the staff at the front of the house that they stopped serving all together and ignored us.

When I got to the front I was greeted in an off hand manner, I asked about icelollies and was told to 'Read the menu over there', which wasn't clearly labelled. I had to leave the queue to go and find the menu before returning. When the teas I managed to order were produced they were dumped in front of me, no 'thank you' or explanation where the milk etc was.

I was honestly baffled as to the rudeness of the middle-aged women who are working behind the café counter and their absolute lack of manners or customer service. The man asked a question, wasn't rude and the whole line was treated to standoffish non-service.

Take a packed lunch with you in future and don't support the café. Myself and my party certainly won't be returning or supporting...

We went to the forest on a very hot day in order to seek some shade and hopefully a cool breeze. We are National Trust members so didn't have to pay for parking but otherwise it would have been a flat rate of £9 for however long you stay.

There are 3 car parking areas; we parked in the central area adjacent to the lake, toilets and kiosk.

The staff were all very friendly and answered any questions we had.

The plentiful toilets were in very good condition and some of the cubicles have doors that open outwards which is very useful when you have a small child in tow!

The kiosk does not have any indoor seating but there is a covered shelter area around the corner and various picnic benches around.

We enjoyed having a picnic under one of the large trees, had fun exploring the woodland (although we didn't go very far), and even saw wheat we think was a red dragonfly/nymph fly. We walked part of the way around the lake - there are boardwalks around some of the large lake and there is a boarded area where we looked at the ducks and swans and even saw some little cygnets too. There were lots of interesting trees to explore in the woodland and little shelters that had been built from sticks.

We enjoyed ice creams from the kiosk and did some child friendly activities at the hut near the carpark entrance.

We did take a bike with us but there were quite a few areas near the car park area where we could not take a bike so had to pop it back in the car and explore a little way on foot.

A very calm day out (and yes, it did fulfil the brief of finding somewhere cool and slightly breezy to...

From time to time my little one and I popin to Hatfield Forest in Bishop's Stortford. We buy drinks and food, walk and enjoy the nature. This time I had an unpleasant visit. As usual we popped to get some decaf coffee, warm chocolate babychino and some pastries. The young woman made a cold chocolate babychino for my toddler, so I immediately politely asked her to make a warm one - not a hot one. She immediately showed an unhappy attitude and made a boiling hot chocolate babychino for my toddler. I tasted it and immediately returned it to her requesting to make a WARM chocolate babychino. Instead she just reduced the amount of it and told me to add some milk myself. I paid so much money for everything and she can't even make a WARM drink. Another customer intervened telling me I was rude for requesting a warm chocolate babychino for my baby. I firmly told her to mind her own business. I had to repeat myself a few times, unfortunately. Anyway, the supervisor came out telling me there was a miscommunication. Yes, between her staff and lack of training and willingness to do right by their customers. I COMMUNICATED myself very well. Train your people to differentiate between cold-hot and WARM and stop showing rude attitude to customers for asking for orders they paid expensively for. And I was planning of getting a membership 🫤 Definitely not now. I'm not going back and not recommending anyone to spend money in that overpriced, poorly serviced, poor customer service cafe. To add to this, £9 for parking...