Vintage Tea Emporium — Restaurant in East Staffordshire

I I took my friend for a treat thinking that it would be an enjoyable experience. It wasn't. The seating was uncomfortable. The service was appalling and the so called afternoon tea was awful. The sandwiches were nice although not very many. The cakes and scones were dry. They were actually not fresh as advertised because the topping on the cake had a hard film. The elderflower jelly was tasteless. We asked for a sauce. It didn't arrive necessitating a second request whereupon we received water which was not requested. I do not think the high price paid did not reflect in the quality of food or service received and provided. It's not a place where I would visit again. I was very disappointed.

After leaving a review on trip advisor the manager left the following response

Dear Louise, its not often I respond to a negative review of our lovely tea rooms as we can often learn from our customers to help us continually improve. However, on occasion, I feel I don't have an option. My staff actually all had a wager on you posting a negative review - they weren't wrong! Firstly, there is nothing wrong with our seating, they are all standard dining room chairs, clean and sturdy. The service was not appalling, my poor team were just exhausted after running ragged to your many requests - and you actually left them a tip - albeit 45p so if the service was 'appalling', why you would have told Betty to 'keep the change' is beyond me. The cakes and scones were all baked fresh on the morning of your visit - in-fact, they are all baked fresh every single day by our in-house bakery team. Our Afternoon Tea's are prepared fresh, presented beautifully, are extremely good value for money and are so good you and your guest ate every single item served to you - again, if it was all so 'awful', why you would've eaten it all defeats me! And then the phone call after you left! You called to say we had overcharged you, charging you £39.55 for two Afternoon Teas and extra drinks. We checked the receipts and called you back to say you had actually been charged £29.55 and this was correct. Then your story changed - we hadn't actually overcharged you, we'd given you the wrong change!!! Again, we checked the till which was correct, and as you'd told our waitress to keep the 45p change anyway, couldn't have given you the wrong change. It was all extremely bizarre!!! It's very difficult in this day and age for small independents to make a living, especially when they care so much about every customer who walks through the door, the quality of the food they serve and the local staff that they employ. That is why we ask every single customer, before they leave, if everything was OK - if it wasn't, it gives us an opportunity to put it right for you there and then, rather than posting a faceless negative review - it's not very pleasant and it's really not called for!

I'm disabled and found the seating difficult. I had to ask for the table to be changed.

We did not run your staff ragged. We asked for horseradish sauce and extra cream. That isn't being run ragged. In fact the request for sauce had to be repeated because you had forgotten.

I did advise the young lady that we were not happy with the quality of food because the cakes were dry.

As for overpayment I definitely gave one twenty and two tens. I was not given a receipt and I left the change because I needed to go.

Myself and my friend were not rude unpleasant or demanding customers and I take exception to the fact we were discussed in a detrimental manner.

I can assure you I have no intention of returning to your establishment and neither does my friend. I certainly won't be recommending the Tea Emporium to anyone.

My criticism was constructive and not inflammatory as...

It's a while since I last visited but I went there for lunch Friday. Very interesting and you should try it. I had the Eggs Florentine which arrived with a perfectly poached egg, spinach, lots of strips of smoked salmon, and a nice balanced Hollandaise prawn based sauce.

They have an outstanding menu of Teas. It tried an Orange one, excellent. Also a very pleasant White Zifandel Wine, which is a rose colour with delicate and smooth Strawberry hints. A well balanced wine in small bottles. A nutritious meal, new tastes and experiences and for only £15. Try the wines!

Good table space, friendly staff, and I noticed they do barn door sized sandwiches for the local big foots to fill those 60 inch waist lines in an ex cattle market town. The cost of rents and rates have killed the poor town of course. Shops ever close, Stores have moved out, it's all Hairdressers, Cafes, Charity Shops and Bookies. Beyond sad. But if you wake up there and fear your dead, lunch at the Tea Emporium, it is a life experience and a cultural change for you. A car park behind is ever half empty with spaces, but pay for a ticket or the prowling Parking Skanks will ticket you. Vermin in suits feed off all. Vintage Tea Emporium is different try it. It makes that sad Dump of a Town bearable. Councils heh? It's a different Cafe approach. Try them.

My last review of this shop got c 500 reads which will help them, and so should this one. I don't give good reviews easily. This is real novel English Tea shop with Global teas. Reward innovation, it's our nation. Try the...

I have used it 3 times now. Excellent range of teas, very wide and well served. Tables good size, adequate room, clean and tidy. Friendly staff. An adequate range of snack food,s, but geared more to local demand.Bacon sandwiches etc. I had Fish pie, and before I visited I had egg based dishes. All OK, . They do single wine bottles.. Tourist grade. Good coffees etc. Well worth using as the unique teas make it. Prices standard for similar places. But the teas are the best range for miles. Parking on the public parks and the Parking Traffic Rats trawl often in twos, so make sure the meters are paid up. One pound buys you two hours and after 3 its free. But Uttoxeter has become such a dreadful dump of a town with closures everywhere, Business rates and rents have killed it. It's now full of Charity shops, hairdressers,, Bookies and pubs., Even the main food stores have moved out. Uttoxeter is the sad shape of things to come as towns fold under brain dead council tax grabs., as they load their own pensions, and like High Peaks Council take years to clear planning for new developments. As poor JCB found with the 106 demands, which has cost them 3 years so far. Uttoxeter is now a dead dump, and this Tea Shop at least is tenable Why anyone would visit the town today ??????????????????? The Councils are killing them. Pathetic Planners and grossly unfair rates. It's a pity. Time to really...