The Mill — Restaurant in Eastbourne

A VERY Disappointing Experience at Mill, Poor Reservation Handling and Customer Service

Recently, I had the unfortunate experience of visiting the restaurant "Mill" in Eastbourne with a group of 18 people to celebrate the First Communion of a dear friend's young son. Despite making a pre-booked reservation and paying a deposit, we were not only left without a table but also received subpar treatment throughout our visit. As a result, I feel compelled to share my disappointment in this review, and I would rate my overall experience with just one star, although I wish I could give zero stars considering how we were treated.

Lack of Reservation on the System for a group of 18 ppl?? To our astonishment, upon arriving at Mill strait from the church, we were informed that our reservation did not exist in their system. This was highly distressing, considering we had made the reservation well in advance and even paid a deposit. It is unacceptable for a restaurant to mishandle such an essential aspect of their business, causing significant inconvenience and frustration to customers. Despite the clear error on their part, the employees at Mill were unable to find a solution and refused to let us in, citing a fully booked restaurant. As a group with a reservation, we were disheartened to be turned away, especially when it was a special occasion. This lack of flexibility and consideration for customers' needs is indicative of poor customer service and a disregard for customer satisfaction.

Word of Warning! Refunding Only Due to Receipt!! I will strongly suggest to any group to make sure you keep your Receipt. Although the restaurant eventually refunded our deposit, it was only done so begrudgingly because we presented them with the receipt. This lack of accountability and proactiveness is simply unacceptable. A reputable establishment would have promptly acknowledged their mistake and initiated the refund without customers having to provide evidence of payment.

Few suggestions to the management: It is evident that Mill needs to address the flaws in their booking system. Whether it be an issue with data entry or software malfunction, such errors should not occur, especially when customers have taken the time to make reservations in advance. Furthermore, it is crucial for the staff to be adequately trained to handle such situations with professionalism, empathy, and a problem-solving mindset. The owners of Mill must recognize the significance of customer service, particularly when dealing with larger groups that have pre-booked reservations. These occasions hold a great deal of meaning and sentiment for customers, and it is essential for the restaurant to provide an unforgettable experience. Unfortunately, Mill failed to meet even the basic expectations, leaving us with a bitter memory of what should have been a joyous celebration. It is incredibly disheartening to leave a negative review for Mill, as we had high hopes for our visit, and in the past I have visited this place many times on my own with my family. However, due to the restaurant's mishandling of such important reservation, refusal to accommodate us, and lack of genuine customer service, I cannot recommend this establishment to bigger groups of people, especially those planning special occasions. The owners of Mill must take immediate action to rectify their booking system issues and invest in comprehensive staff training to ensure such experiences do not repeat themselves. Customers with reservations should not be left without a table and forced to settle for takeaway pizza, and sit in a house, especially during peak periods when alternative dining options are scarce. It is my sincere hope that Mill learns from these mistakes and strives to provide a truly enjoyable and memorable dining experience for all future patrons. I wish I could say it diferent way, but it is a shame, that instead of using a restaurant, which is just 300 yeards away, we will have to now look for alternative restaurants, in the...

We had a booking here for 6 people including 2 small children. Arrived on time but had to wait for 15-20 minutes to be seated; nobody working front of house or the bar when we arrived and another customer went to call for help. Only one member of staff came out and prioritised customers at bar rather than people waiting to be seated. There was hardly anyone in the restaurant or bar. When finally seen we were told to “just sit over there” and not shown to the table. At the point of ordering, we went to the bar and were told that we were not entitled to the summer promotion of children eating for £1 as we were taking advantage of other offers for our adult meals. When we raised that this was not in line with our previous recent experiences at Hungry Horse/Greene King restaurants this summer, we were told to take this up with the manager. The manager Chloe came to the bar to discuss with us; using an unprofessional manner and tone, Chloe told us the offer wasn’t available due to terms and conditions; pointing out the poor customer service on arrival we were told that they were catching up from a busy afternoon (though looking at other reviews on Google it appears leaving customers waiting at the door is actually a regular occurrence). Chloe demanded we apologise for being rude to staff and despite doing so then demanded that we leave the restaurant due to the situation which left our children hungry and frustrated. Her demeanour and general attitude throughout were entirely unprofessional, as was her reluctance to provide information regarding herself or the area manager so a complaint could be made. Throughout we were made to feel that we were antagonistic and the cause of the issue for merely raising concerns about the level of customer service provided to that point. As a regular Greene King/Hungry Horse customer, this experience has been deeply frustrating and quite upsetting. This is the only time we have been treated in this manner by Greene King/Hungry Horse staff and we would question (again glancing at other quite regular reviews reflecting similar customer service experiences) that the management and staffing at this branch are below the standard expected from the...

Really disappointed, the Mill was always our go to place for a nice inexpensive family meal. It was for my daughters bday. We arrived a little earlier than our booking but was welcomed and taken straight to our table,sad to see the tables are still sticky, they were like that before Covid. We ordered via the app, a family member has worked previously for Hungry Horse so knows how the restaurant works. She was really disgusted. We waited ages for our food, one person on the bar, didnt see any other staff for at least half an hour. Then our starter arrived before our drinks, the person on the bar was noted as being on and off a mobile phone that seemed to be hidden at end of bar. Regulars who drink in the bar were definately being served before people eating. Starter arrived and was great, we all thoroughly enjoyed. We put the plates at the end of our table as we were aware the server would not see we were finished. We waited absolutely ages for the main meal, to the extent that we wrote on a piece of a paper, we are ready for mains and waved it under the cctv above our table, as we are well aware that the cctvs are watched. It was a joke but amazingly the mains arrived and the plates were taken within minutes. Unfortunately one meal was freezing cold although the plate was warm, and sent back, it came back was warm at most. The steak was more like stewing steak, this part of the meal wasn't great food. Since eating at the Mill all of us have been poorly, with bad stomachs etc. We won't be returning...