The Kiosk — Restaurant in Eastbourne

This is one of my favourite places to take my family for breakfast with our dog on a Sunday. We have been going here for 10 years since we first met when it was just the two of us and our dog now it’s with 3 young children! However the last two times the lady who owns the kiosk has been very abrupt and rude to customers. And I was saddened to receive a very frosty encounter this week after being such a loyal customer for 10 years. I had the hard task of getting 3 children and a dog out of the house by 830am & had forgotten to put some money in my back pocket for a drink at end of my dog walk. I had climbed up Beachy Head with a 9 month old baby strapped to the front of me in ridiculous heat no breeze for an hour. On my return down I was desperate for a drink but realised I had no money so I popped into the kiosk and asked politely for a glass of tap water. I was greeted with a sour face, a sigh and a chipped glass with luke warm water. No yes of course, friendly chit chat about how hot it is, tiring with baby strapped to front of me.... etc. I then decided to do the same at the Holywell tea chalet to see the reaction I got. I’m glad to say i got a warm welcome, a lovely big glass of cold water with ice and a friendly chat. It costs nothing to smile, be friendly & give a breastfeeding mother a glass of tap water. But instead you have lost a loyal customer who spends £30 every month at your cafe. The dogs get free water maybe I was meant to...

I agree with Elenas previous comment....we too have experienced the same treatment. We have been publically embarrassed by being told loudly and rudely to leave the table as they are reserved and you can't sit there. This has happened a few times now. When asked if its possible to book a table we were told no....you just come in as we dont take bookings. But when you try to sit at an empty table you are told they are reserved (I take that as 'booked').The tables remain empty for the chosen few regulars to appear at random and every one else has to sit outside on the grass. We asked if we could sit at a table until the 'chosen regular' appears but this is not allowed either. So I would just like to make sure I have understood the owners' instructions that this cafe is for take-away only unless you are a chosen regular who can sit at a table. I am a local and walk over the downs with other walkers and my dogs and cannot comprehend the attitude of the owners. I have never come across a cafe with such discriminatory restrictions before. It is definitely not inclusive and all welcoming. I would totally understand if the tables were full and we had to sit outside, but unfortunately they remain empty. Many of us have decided we will never give our custom to such an unfriendly establishment in the future. There are other more welcoming...

We were bitterly disappointed with our visit to The Kiosk this afternoon. We had been for a walk along the seafront in hot sunshine and were in need of a sit down and a drink. One table had a group of people seated at it. All the other tables had reserved signs on them but there was also a long row of chairs. I was feeling quite faint but as I proceeded to sit down at a table while my husband and daughter joined the short queue, one of the men sitting at the occupied table shouted out that I couldn’t sit there. My daughter told him that I was on the verge of collapse but he said that didn’t matter. I went to sit on one of the long row of chairs and immediately got told off. I questioned what I was doing wrong and was told they would now have to clean the chair because I had touched it. Why on earth run a cafe and not allow people to sit in it? Surely cleaning should be routine these days and is part and parcel of hospitality. How could we have enjoyed a pot of tea standing up? I could not sit on the grass outside because I am an elderly pensioner and disabled. It was OK for the manager/spokesperson/owner to sit with his personal guests, but not paying customers. We left immediately and won’t...