The Artea Room - Countryside Cafe and Gift Shop — Restaurant in England

we visited this establishment on recommendation from our Daughter , it seems that this place is only great until you complain ! we were seated in the side room adjacent to the main seating area which was lovely as we booked the Afternoon tea from the menu. service was great and prompt from the young waitress who first served us , we were half way through our meal when we noticed quite a few wasps had decided to join us for the sweet part of the menu as the main two doors were left wide open , we tried but just couldn't carry on eating as the wasps were actually sitting on our food, so I went up and explained the problem in detail to the Guy who was behind the till who said we could move into the other part of the café to which we did, we then explained to the older waitress that we couldn't eat the rest of our food as the wasps had been sitting on it to which she replied yes we have a wasp infestation as the fields nearby have been recently cultivated but we can box it up for you and you can then settle the bill, there was no offer of just replacing the few remaining items of food or even a discount ? it was like it wasn't their problem ? anyways we decided that we just wanted to leave and went to settle the bill, I said to the older waitress again that we wasn't happy with the way were being treated and her response was " I'm busy wait a minute" she then walked off , she then came back with the guy from the kitchen who promptly said " you have to pay" I replied we haven't said we wouldn't ? he then said abruptly " what do you want me to do there's nothing I can do about the wasps " I replied well you could shut the two main doors for a start he then came across in a very patronizing way to which I said there's no need for that and you could of at least offer us replacements of the food that was ruined, he replied I can but you will have to take it away frozen to which I rolled my eyes up thinking I'm not feeling like a valued first time customer here by the way he came across , he then said aggressively what's your problem why are you rolling your eyes up so I replied "don't speak to me like that " he then said right that's it I cant deal with this abuse you cant have the frozen food boxed up now pay up and leave " we have never in our lives been treated with such disrespect and appalling customer service ! we would definitely not recommend this place to anyone especially if something goes wrong ! the good reviews are only from people who haven't had to complain !

I have given an honest review and have left nothing out ! you were the rude and aggressive one .

Expecting people to eat contaminated food without offering to immediately rectify this is disgraceful ! and we will be reporting this to the food standards agency.

Also you knowing that there was a wasp infestation but yet having all the doors open is not only scandalous but stupid and a health and safety issue !

In response to your latest reply.

your older waitress told us there was a wasp infestation that was her words not ours !

Also my wife actually witnessed the same waitress open the door opposite us ! and also the other door was open because i checked as there was a draught coming through .

and whether you were aware or not of the wasps sitting on our food your waitress certainly was and her attitude was to box it up and pay the bill !

unfortunately you came out of the kitchen straight away with the attitude of "it's not our problem " and you are still trying to justify your actions by now lying .

hopefully you have learnt some lessons by all of this and it will benefit...

We visited Artea Room on the weekend of Valentine’s Day, and the experience was absolutely delightful. The tea room was beautifully decorated with hearts and roses, adding a charming festive touch. Upon arrival, we were greeted with adorable Valentine’s-themed rubber duckies and chocolates in tiny boxes—a lovely surprise!

We had booked our table weeks in advance and were lucky to get a cozy round table near the stairs. The service was excellent, with a staff member promptly bringing us the tea menu. And oh, what a selection! They offer an extensive range of teas, so be prepared to feel both overwhelmed and excited by the choices. Each pot is reasonably priced at £3.50, making it easy to try something new. I had the Garden of England Afternoon Tea, my husband chose China Gunpowder, and my daughter went for Sencha Rose Tea. The Sencha Rose was the clear winner—fragrant, mild, and absolutely soothing.

Shortly after, we were served a lovely selection of sandwiches, freshly baked scones, and an array of cakes. The sandwiches and scones were the highlights—freshly prepared and absolutely delicious. My personal favorites were the cheddar cheese and jam and cheese with ploughman’s chutney sandwiches. The fruit scones were a delight, and my daughter particularly enjoyed her cheesy scone. They serve Rodda’s clotted cream, which, paired with the warm scones, was simply divine.

The ambiance of Artea Room is quaint and cozy, making it a perfect spot for a relaxing afternoon tea. Besides their afternoon tea offerings, they also serve breakfast, lunch, and a cream tea menu. The owners seem to run the tea room themselves, and the lady we met was incredibly friendly and welcoming.

As a bonus, right across from the tea room is a charming thrift store that usually closes around 4 PM. You can find everything from random trinkets to clothing and even Japanese manga books!

Overall, Artea Room is a hidden gem with excellent tea, fresh food, and a warm atmosphere. Highly recommend! You might want to book in advance, especially for...

Decided to join my daughter today for a cream tea ....11am she asked me and my 8 year old I said yes ...called booked us in ..off we went...sat down realised I probley wouldn't be able to eat pasties as I gluten free so went to talk to man serving ...wqs told to sit down he would come to me in a sec ...after he had delivered these boxes in his hands next door ...we waited 10 min later he came back ..I said I would have to cancel my cream tea because of my dietary requirements...he said " you can't we prepare in 24 hour s before you can't cancel ,,,:I then asked hows thats possible only booked a hour ago .....his response was well you have to pay .....I do not at all ...my daughter a solicitor was shocked by the way he was talking and told him we don't have to pay for goods not used ..my 8 year old got upset so I said let go girls and got up ...the man moved in frount of door and said well you are not leaving till u have payed ...we said call police ...he then said ...get out and never come back ...we left ...never have I been treated so bad avoid this place. if you want to change your mind or have dietary condition ....u will be posting on twitter later a video ..and I have read your repliy all lies ..I live locally and I will tell all my friends and family about your service ..I did approach you and was told to sit down ...I did and I waited for 15 min ....he did not open door at all ...I felt threatened and told my children to get up as we were leaving .he then moved across round to other side of table to block door and open his arms up stopping us leave ....I opened the door myself ...bad service ...rude man ...and a liar too .luckily for me I have recording from my phone of conversation so people can hear for themselves . Rude avoid if possible .I think people need to be aware ....this treatment is not what you expect and pandemic mentioned ....well be nice to people when they explained they have disabilities . This was a first treat out spoiled by your attitude....making kids upset is not ok ... BAD...