Dobbies Garden Centre Swansea — Local services in Great Britain

Access and parking is good on exit if you need to turn right its quicker to turn left and do a u turn around the roundabout. There are a good number of disabled spaces and a few family spaces. Everything in the garden centre is on the level so easy access for the disabled. There is an online bookable soft play area. Not sure how good it is as I have never used it, but my friend a childminder goes there regularly with her minded children. The garden centre I have visited several times without issue. It is generally well stocked, with an aquarium section a small sainsbury's and lots of gardening stuff plants and accessories. Maybe when I went on December 22nd and 23rd it was a bad rime as they were busy swapping Christmas for spring goods Anyway I wated compost/soil for re potting a Christmas cactus and money plants. I couldn't find what I was looking for and so zi asked for advice from a female sales assistant . I asked the member of staff who directed to me potted cactus on sale and wasn't able to give me the advice I was looking for or refer me to a colleague who knew.. Father Christmas had to be booked online but there were no notices in the garden centre to say this, just multiple signs to Santas grotto . So when I went to find out at the grotto if you could turn up or book with an optimistic grandchild in tow I enquired how to access Santa. I was told by a very forbidding elf it was to only be booked on line not even at the check out desk and they werefull in any case. My gripe is the lack of signage about only booking on line to seeq Santa, not the actual booking on line. Next was big fail in the garden centre the coffee shop. The purpose of our Tuesday visit with my gandaughter was my childminding friend wanted a birthday cream tea that she had a voucher from Dobbies for. Knowing I am on a gluten free diet, she'd checked in advance that they have gluten free cakes and scones in addition to the usual high sugar biscuits and sickly chocolate brownies packaged biscuits. So when we went on Tuesday ,there was no gluten free cake available, no gluten free scones available, no jacket potatoes with gluten free filling etc, so I ended up with 2 slices of gluten free toast off the breakfast menu despite it being afternoon (which Mark the very helpful man taking the orders went away especially to see if that was possible returningwith toast). I left feeling hungry. Now my friend Jackie ,had the plain scone it was very dry and solid even with jam and butter . We returned on Wednesday for a second try. There was an abnormally long weight for jacket potatoes my friend June had to go and ask shere it was after 35 mins as she had a family event to attend . I had a gluten free brie cranberry and bacon sandwich. It was nicely presented tasted nice and did what it said on the tin. However were no gluten free scones the gluten free carrot cake was available. I left this time feeling full. Next the toilets. There are a good number of toilets but locks were missing on some of the toilet doors in the ladies. I visited Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon, this week on Wednesday it didn't look like the toilets had been cleaned since Tuesday .There was one blocked toilet that had been there since Tuesday no out of order sign on it and the door wasn't closed off. Plenty of handbasins and a good hand dryer. Plenty of hand gel and...

Bit disappointed with this visit.

Breakfast is very expensive and no swaps allowed. It wouldn't be so bad but everything was dry and small. £8 felt like a kids breakfast.

Also £2 is fine in cost but the place was filthy!

We were there over an hour. Had to clean our own table before sitting as ever table was stinking (see photos) during that hour 4 staff came in after calling them to order as they can't let me order at till. All of them walked past the stibking tables over an hour period with food on floors and everywhere and just left it. Worst part is there was only 4 tables in main area with people on and the lady taking our order at the start said they are not used to it being so quiet.... they obviously weren't. 5 standing around the main serving area and I could see 2 standing around in kitchen and the kids area was filthy.

The fish place was lovely and lots of other bits but I'm reviewing this area as that's where we spent most of our time..

Finally when we booked the booking times are 10 minutes between the hour you book so they can sanitise and clean the areas. This was obviously not done and it was not covid safe and clear which they state on booking and website.

Staff were friendly but not intentional in their duties especially of the kids area during quiet times.

Visit November 2023 - better visit, friendly staff, clean and open and currently kids eat free with a main meal. Good size parking area and not too expensive at £3 for kids area just make sure you...

Think this will be the last time ordering food here. Young ladies behind til very pleasant but food disgusting. I once ordered caesar salad an you can't go wrong with that can you? Mostly packet of lettuce with a smattering of other ingredients. I'm not a rabbit! Came for tea and cake some months ago and fancied a scone with jam and cream. Asked for fresh ones as the ones displayed looked like rock cakes only without the cake! Next tray came out by young lad who proceeded to throw the next lot of rocks out with hands and no gloves. Chose a cake instead! Whole area unsavoury and dirty. Today came for our free monthly coffee with Dobbies card and food gone downhill even further. Ordered lasagne for which we had to wait about 20 minutes for. It came burnt black around tge edges with loads of melted cheese on top. Thought OK a bit of flavour until I lifted up the contents and saw the entire base was black. Lady on till apologised and asked if I wanted a refund but I opted for a replacement. She then came and apologised and said "they" said they were all the same. Did I want refund or another order. Said ham egg and chips. Came about 10 minutes later with chips so hard I had to leave them. Sorry. I would not recommend anyone to eat at Dobbies. There should be someone who controls the standard of food and to get a new chef. Prices are astronomical and certainly...