ACW Garden Centre — Local services in Bradford

How can a customer find himself walking out of a fully staffed store empty handed, when 2 mins before he arrived at the checkout and paid for a trolly full of goods, 15 minutes before the store is due to close ???

This is no riddle, only a sure sign of the store’s future !

The most disrespectful and uncomfortable experiences I’ve had in any store.

I own a large retail store in Leeds which has been operating for nearly 45 years. I would never accept staff members who work for me treating my customers in this way. My family and friends have over many years been committed shoppers to your store, which I will now actively discourage them from doing.

The store is advertised online as well as signed outside its premises to close at 4:30 on a Sundays.

We had given ourselves enough time to find what we needed and be at the cashier at least 10 minutes before it closes.

At around 4:05 staff member in a hostile tone told us to start going to the checkout as a store is closing and began to Lock the rear of the store, Where my mother and wife still were shopping. Second member of staff, At around 4:10 approached us and said “we have a home to go to as well”. I told him that the store closes at 4:30 pm and we would be at the till shortly. He approached my wife and my mother and began to repeat what he told me to them. We felt real hostility by members of staff who were just watching our every move in an attempt to rushes out of the store so they could leave and go home early.

We got to the till at 4:15 pm, at which point a person who acted like a manager was very rude to me. When I told him the shop is advertised to close at 4:30 pm, he said “ I can close it at 2:30 if I like” . When I told him my concern was genuine and reasonable and he was being rude with his response. He said “it is what it is “ and then followed with- “ Do you want this stuff or what?” At this point, My wife, who was at the till with the cashier and had completed the payment. I demanded an immediate refund. And made it clear that we would not spend a single penny in this store ever again. Both my wife and myself were shocked at this point at the attitude of a couple of members of staff who were simply shouting at us to provoke some kind of reaction - but we remained calm.

At this point, I thought to myself- they are actually loosing out not me- i don’t pay their wages lol.

I then went to the exit, I had my one year-old in the pram. I indicated to the member of staff that I needed help as the door had now been blocked with a metal bar on the inside which was trapping the handles- prevented them from opening . He just stood back looked at me and smiled, And did not move a muscle to help me remove the metal bars from the door.

I’ve never been in a store where members of staff have hated the job, and or the work environment to the extent that they would show such hostility towards customers- so they can leave early.

If the staff hate their jobs so much, and want to be home early, why have they advertised the store to close at 4:30. If they are being paid to work until 4:30 why are they getting angry at customers who are still in the shop at 4:10?

The best part about the visit I guess was getting the refund, - and knowing we are not contributing our hard earned money to paying a penny in wages to people who don’t care about their customers.

Awful staff ! Please spend your money elsewhere! Plenty of people will appreciate...

Horrible experience . We were being rushed at 410 to go to the till which we did even though the closing time is 430(and we were aware about it).Was spoken to in a very rude way by 2 members(both men) of the staff.The women staff were trying to contain the situation but the men were speaking in an aggressive way to us stating that even though the shop mentions they close at 430 means its closing time for staff and not customers.Had the nerve to go further on and tell us he can close the store at 2 pm if he wishes to...and I could clearly feel discriminatory vibes going on here.Have never been spoken in such a way nor seen such an appauling attitude by a staff anywhere .I would not recommend this garden centre purely because of horrible service and attitude of the staff(the discriminatory behaviour which we experienced is an understatement).Would love to give a zero.Jus got the refund as I had had enough of the arrogancy showed by the 2 men .I didnt get their name.Attaching the time we checked out for bill so that stories dont get played here.Stay away...

Visited this garden centre today 21st May 2025 with my Hub and father we have been many times. Garden Centre staff usually friendly and helpful. We have purchased quite a few plants, bulbs, garden products, Soil and compost. A good range of farmshop homemade Jams,Pickles, chutney Chocolate and sweets. We eat at the Flower pot Café inside the garden centre quite often.. Today we ordered chips, bacon sandwiches scones, tea. We were served by a newish member of staff, very miserable and moaned that i wanted 2 jams with my scone i said the scones are large and one isn't enough,not had this problem with obtaining 2 jams here before . she reluctantly gave us 2 jams, would really be much better to have a basin of jam with a spoon than in small portioned containers.. didn't notice her name but she was slim, blonde bob, with glasses.. People have personal problems in life including myself we understand that, but don't bring them to work.. it's much more pleasant to be greeted by a helpful smiling face than a miserable one. The staff don't seem happy in their work...