Haven House Inn & Café — Restaurant in England

As locals this is one of our favourite venues after a walk along the quay. We use it throughout the year and not just in the Summer as Its in a great location and offers a wide range of food and drinks.

Most of the staff are excellent and we've always experienced good service.

My review is based on the attitude of one member of staff and nothing else.

The pub recently changed hands and it used to offer deals on drinks and food.

We asked if the special drink offers were still available and were told they weren't as the new owner had to make a profit, which is totally understandable and acceptable.

We purchased our drinks and sat down when the said member of staff came over and offered us a loyalty card based on a free drink or meal after so many purchases. This was great and we thanked him.

As my wife had a double spirit with a mixer she made a "tongue in cheek" comment that she should have 3 stamps instead of one.

Unfortunately the member of staff took issue with this as he thought we were being "funny" and asked us to give him back the loyalty cards.

There was a bit of banter when we said no he couldn't have the cards back and he said he wanted them. We were joking but unfortunately he was serious.

At first we thought he was joking but his face told a different story. We tried to assure him we were joking, but he obviously didn't see it that way.

We asked if he was being serious to which he replied he was and he asked us to drink up and leave.

I asked him if we were being banned to which he replied we were. I then gave him the loyalty cards and, to my surprise he then offered a refund if the £13.45 we'd paid. which I accepted.

Having been in business for several years and having held senior management positions with several large retail companies I was astounded with the attitude and reaction.

What some people don't realise is that regardless of what the business offers and how good the products and prices are, it's all about people and without customers the business doesn't have a future.

I'm not suggesting that loosing our custom will have any impact on the business, but I hope the member of staff concerned reflects on the experience and decides to take a different approach if a similar situation occurs in the future.

I wish the business well as it is a great place to visit but, in my opinion, it could be better if this member of staff...

A Disappointing Experience at Haven Café: Rigid Rules Over Common Courtesy

Recently visited Haven Café, and despite its name, it was anything but a "haven." My experience was marred by poor customer service and an inflexible adherence to policies that prioritize rules over customer comfort and basic decency.

We arrived about10 minutes before opening time (9.30am Friday) on a cold, windy, and rainy morning, hoping to escape the miserable weather. We kindly asked if we could come inside, explaining that we were happy to wait quietly until the official opening time before placing any orders. To our surprise, the staff refused, insisting we stand outside in the cold.

What made this situation even more frustrating was that they weren’t getting ready for the day—they were standing behind the counter, chatting. It wasn’t as if they were rushing to prepare the café for customers; they were simply ignoring the uncomfortable situation unfolding outside their door. A little flexibility or compassion for cold, paying customers is not too much to ask.

It’s hard to comprehend how a café can be so rigid that they would let potential customers stand in the rain rather than offer them a bit of warmth and respite from the rain. The entire experience certainly made me question Haven Café's approach to customer service. (Note: We ultimatley disregarded the refusal to let us sit inside prior to opening. We went in and sat quielty as one of the party had recently recovered from sinusitus and we didnt need a relaps from the biting wind. Needless to say we were then served by very sulky and dismissive staff for the time we were there. The young man being the worst, calling me a vulgar derogetary term most unbecoming! )

We expected a welcoming atmosphere, but instead, we were met with indifference and a lack of basic hospitality. It’s a shame because a little kindness goes a long way, especially in the service industry. Sadly, Haven Café seems to have forgotten that. Steve... please have a word - as a long time manager of pub and cafe I think you understand the hospitatliy industry.

The food was great - good size portion for the price. Coffee was nice. Cafe was clean and has...

We live 10 minutes down the road from Mudeford. In the past we have been to the pub a few times..Everytime we have been the bar staff are ARROGANT RUDE PIGS!!!! and don't know how to treat a customer. I went to the bar and asked for an alcoholic drink I was served without any fuss being only 21 they didn't bother to ID me. All of a sudden when I ordered a drink for my partner and my brothers partner, he said that he would have to see their ID. Why??? The bar staff hadn't even seen them!!! We were all over the age of 20!!! Staff were so RUDE and SNOTTY. We had a dirty table, We asked if they could wipe it down, but not such a friendly response, sighing, Basically the service was absolutely awful. The tuna in the baguette didn't taste of Tuna and burnt our mouths something was in it that was horrid and didn't seem good enough for human consumption. Mudeford is a lovely place but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!! If you ever visit, never go to this pub!!!! After paying £28 for two meals and a couple of drinks the staff really need to buck up their idea's and learn some respect for their customers!!! I hope one of the staff member reads this and replies to why they are...