Lion - Boreham — Restaurant in Chelmsford

Extremely Unprofessional, Illogical and Threatening Behaviour by Staff

I am compelled to share a highly disappointing and concerning experience I had at the Lion Inn, which left me feeling harassed and utterly disrespected. Below is the detailed account of my encounter and the lack of resolution despite multiple attempts to address the issue with management.

Incident Overview: On 12/07/2024, I parked in what I later discovered was a staff parking space. A staff member with a Scottish accent approached me aggressively. She forcibly opened my car door and threatened to block or clamp my vehicle if I parked in that area again. Under Section 54 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, it is a criminal offence to immobilise or restrict the movement of a vehicle without proper statutory authority. This behaviour was not only unprofessional and illogical, given that the goal should clearly have been for me to move my vehicle, but it was also illegal.

Attempts to Resolve the Issue:

Initial Email (Sent on 12/07/2024): I immediately reported the incident via email to Lion Inn Management, detailing the aggressive behaviour and the unlawful threats made by their staff member. I pointed out the legal implications of such threats under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 and requested prompt action to address this issue.

Follow-Up Email (Sent on 18/07/2024): After receiving no response, I followed up reiterating my concerns and emphasising the urgency of this matter. Management responded, indicating they would review CCTV footage and audio recordings. However, they merely mentioned that no vehicle had been immobilised to date, seemingly missing the core issue of the aggressive threats.

Further Clarification (Sent on 20/07/2024): I clarified that my primary complaint was about the threat of illegal actions, rather than any actions already taken. I requested specific actions and a review of the staff’s behaviour. The response from Reception was generic, simply stating the issue would be handled internally.

Final Attempt to Resolve (Sent on 23/07/2024): I sent a final email reiterating the unacceptable nature of the confrontation and requesting a formal apology from the staff member involved. I indicated a preference to resolve the matter amicably but mentioned my intention to leave a review and report the incident to authorities if no adequate steps were taken.

Lack of Response: Despite my reasonable requests and detailed follow-ups, management has failed to provide a satisfactory response by the requested date (29/07/2024). This lack of accountability and transparency is deeply disappointing and unacceptable.

Conclusion: The Lion Inn’s handling of this serious situation reflects poorly on their commitment to customer service and legal compliance. I urge potential customers to be cautious and consider the potential risks when dealing with this establishment. A business that does not address aggressive and illegal behaviour by its staff shows a lack of respect for its guests.

Recommendation: I strongly advise prospective visitors to reconsider their options when choosing accommodation or dining locations. The Lion Inn has demonstrated a severe lapse in ensuring a safe and respectful environment for...

After eating at this fine establishment for years with no issues, I decided to poke my head in the door for a lunch recently after booking a days holiday at work. Entering the building all seemed to be well, being greeted at the door and seated in an efficient manner. We were told that table service was now in place before waiting for 30 mins before being offered a drink, after placing a drinks order of a few beers we were then pushed by two waitresses to order our food despite our drinks not being at the table, now call me old fashioned but I like to have a drink ( or 2 ) before ordering my food and felt like we were being pressured to order, which got both our backs up a little. After eventually getting our beers at the table we then placed our order, starting with a “ blue strawberry salad “ and my friend ordered a Chinese style crispy duck leg. The salad was disappointing, it seemed like no effort was made throwing it on the plate and the prawns seemed like they had been sitting out for a while, the ducks leg seemed very skimpy, for sure the duck had missed leg day for a while… we then asked for 2 ribeye steaks, one rare and one medium rare, the menu indicated it came with peppercorn sauce, when the steaks arrived we mentioned too the staff member the sauces were missing politely, and was scoffed at. When the sauces arrived we realised that both the steaks were beyond well done, the texture of an old piece of leather rang true, it was almost as if it had been cooked, then thrown in an oven for 20 mins before being finished in the pan, stick thin, just disappointing. I wouldn’t have fed it too my dog, after complaining the steaks were taken off the bill, we was offered an alternative however by this point we decided we would move on. We were charged for the sauces still even though we hadn’t eaten them along with the steak. Which at this moment was comical. Later that evening I was greeted with a horrendous belly ache. I can only imagine this was due to the prawns as my friend was okay. I won’t be returning and have since heard this place has changed hands and a new owner is now present which makes sense. It used to be a phenomenal place with great value and service. Sadly after this I will not...

Came here as a group of 6 for dinner at 6:30pm on a Wednesday. It was quite busy in the restaurant but we had booked so seating wasn't an issue for us. Service started off really well and that's where it kind of ended...

Starters arrived within a timely manner, we didn't all have starters though. These were cleared away and our stomachs started to rumble...I checked my watch (we were chatting away in our group so time wasn't at the forefront of our minds) and it had been an hour since our starters had been cleared. There had been no communication from the staff that our mains were running so late, so we had to chase it up. They arrived promptly after. I ordered two starters for my main; one of the starters was a brie tart with salad and fries, or so I thought. Apparently there was a typo on the menu and the starter doesn't come with fries at all (I did think this was a little odd when ordering but I clearly ordered from the starter menu and this wasn't mentioned by the waiter) Hopefully this mis print has now been rectified.

We all enjoyed our food despite the wait. I then ordered the smaller dessert/kids dessert of the sticky toffee pudding. It came out as a larger portion, as it looked the same size as my friends, so I questioned this again if this was correct. My dessert was taken away, looked like it had been cut in half in the kitchen, then put back on the table in front of me. Having been the third error of the night and knowing that half that dessert probably just went in the bin, I probably would have let my diner eat it but charged the correct price rather than it go to waste! In hind sight I should have just left it as it was and eaten it...

It is a lovely restaurant, nice food and ambience. Although all waiting staff are lovely and friendly, the service overall...