The Combermere Arms — Restaurant in England

Oh my goodness, where to start…I do really hope that management use this as a learning opportunity, specifically for the manager to complete a CPD course in how to deal with complaints.

We had to send a couple of dishes back (S&P squid - super salty and the Malaysian fish curry - dry and bland). Our waitress was very lovely and professional about it. Obviously it was disappointing but we weren’t kicking up a stink about it. We were happy to wait for another choice of main dish, but what really made the situation SO much worse was the manager….

She came over to our table and loudly (for the benefit of other customers I suspect) told us that another customer had the Malaysian fish curry and that it was the best meal she’d ever had out - (ok, each to their own). She continued on by saying that it was a recipe from head office created by executive chefs - (ok.…). She said that they’re really proud of their food - (ok…). So to translate this, what she was telling us was that we were wrong, we didn’t know what we were talking about, and that she wasn’t prepared to listen to our feedback. We were clearly at fault!

Having a background in complaints management, this was a prime example of how not to handle a complaint. It was painful to listen to her. I was cringing and truly wishing she’d stop talking! What she was doing was potentially escalating a very straightforward complaint. Luckily our table has an amount of emotional intelligence that we did not respond angrily to her provocative comments.

At this point I couldn’t listen to her car crash of a speech any longer. I gently interrupted her and said that this really is not the way to handle a complaint, all she needs to do is apologise, do less talking because being defensive does not help.

I’d say she couldn’t comprehend this and carried on with her reasons as to why we were wrong. She then said the classic line which is like a red rag to a bull “I’m sorry you feel this way”. Oh dear. This was not about how we felt! It was a complaint about the food that was served to us.

Aside of the above(!) the Teriyaki prawns were really good, as was the lamb and rosemary pie. Our waitress Hannah was lovely. I’d have given the service a higher score if the manager hadn’t have come over and managed the situ so badly.

Please do look at some training of handling complaints. There’s one for £20 +vat...

Review of Combermere Arms

I recently had the pleasure of dining at the Combermere Arms, and I must say, it was a truly delightful experience. From the moment we walked in, the warm, classy, and inviting atmosphere set the tone for what turned out to be a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon.

The venue itself is beautifully presented—elegant yet comfortable, with a charming mix of rustic character and modern touches. Whether you're seated indoors or outside enjoying the scenic surroundings, the setting adds a special touch to the overall experience.

The staff were outstanding—friendly, attentive, and genuinely welcoming without being overbearing. It's clear they take pride in making guests feel relaxed and well looked after.

Now to the food: absolutely superb. Every course we tried was full of flavour, thoughtfully presented, and made with quality ingredients. From the perfectly cooked mains to the indulgent desserts, it’s evident that the kitchen takes great care in their craft.

Pricing is on the higher side, but honestly, it reflects the quality you receive. It may not be an everyday spot, but for a special meal or a treat, it's worth every penny.

In short, the Combermere Arms delivers an excellent dining experience—top-notch food, fantastic service, and a beautiful setting. Highly...

We came here on a Sunday, one of our party mistakingly thinking we'd booked a table here. As it turned out we hadn't, we were surprised, especially on a Sunday, that the staff were able to fit our party of 8 (2 families) in, but we were made aware that we had only just over an hour with the table, but if we were happy with the limited time we could have it. We decided to stay and were grateful at the helpful staff for squeezing us in! We encountered 3 members of staff during our short visit and all 3 were very friendly, helpful, attentive and accommodating and nothing was too much trouble! The food was as good as the service and when it came to desert we were at the end of our time so we decided to go outside to free up the table. Literally cannot fault anything of our visit. It was our family's first time there and it will not be our last! Thanks for the great service and food! (Ps, my children know I do reviews regularly and my 10 year old even said whilst we were there "make sure you give this 5 stars mum" 😂 He also loved you had pie on the children's menu, we've never seen...