Wolfridge Alpaca Barn — Restaurant in England

IN REPLY: I do not find being challenged difficult in the slightest, if done politely so. This wasn't politely done, it was rude to the point my child noticed. I did see the multiple signs, mainly the ones implying the public footpath isn't for dogs, but this particular path the sign wasn't very obvious at all. We usually come without dogs and saw a dog outside right then so assumed we could go.

We live very close to here (our fields are next to each other) so we were really excited when it was announced it'd be opening. We have given it chance after chance. Really wanting to like it. But the coffee seems to always be luke warm, yet the kids hot chocolate scalding. The cakes seem quite good (I don't eat much cake) but the food hugely overpriced for what is very average food. I often ended up picking wilted bits of salad off. The tables often left uncleaned, I learnt to bring wet wipes. The male owner very aloof, appeared arrogant even, not especially likeable but again I assumed he's running a busy café and doing his best.

Unfortunately I had a confrontation recently, about my dogs walking down one path. The signs make out like no dogs are allowed on any path, that's not true, it's a public footpath through the middle. We were planning to sit outside and eat and drink with the dogs (dogs are only allowed outside) I didn't spot the sign saying no dogs on that far path. The owner who was in the middle of an alpaca "experience" came storming over right as we were at the end with our very quiet dogs who had no interest in the animals, he came over with quite confrontational body language to then confront me, told me the dogs upset the alpacas (the same alpacas who are always curious and come to see us whilst our dogs don't care one bit as they see livestock daily) and so I had to walk all the way back up the path, down the road which has no pavement. I had a 4 and 9 year old with me. Plus the dogs who ignored him. I explained I hadn't seen the signs (it was 6 foot ish down rather than right in front of you like it is at the other end of the footpath clearly trying to put dogs off from where they're entitled)

He wouldn't let us walk the extra 3 ish foot to the car park and instead insisted me and my small children walk all the way back and then down the road with ni footpath to access his café where we had told him we planned to spend money. There was a dog far far closer to his "experience" by the benches at the back yet he wouldn't let us proceed to purchase food from his own cafe! I told him fine, I'd go elsewhere. All of this in front of my kids, the 4 year old baffled. The 9 year old asked as we walked away why he was so rude to me. He was truly confused.

Why not say "next time please use the road for access but come on through" instead of asking myself and my 4 and 9 year old (plus 2 very quiet dogs) walk back to the path and down the road with no pavement to access HIS establishment and spend my money there?

He's so anti dog and his attitudeis awful! My dogs are around livestock daily. I've never known a farm type shop be so against dogs! His rudeness in front of my children when I was politely pointing out I wanted to purchase from his shop was appalling. He stopped mid "alpaca experience" to approach me and confront me in front of my small children. To then insist they walk back up the path and down the non pavement road.

I can tolerate mediocre food and service to support a local farmer. But he doesn't behave like any farmer I know. He's arrogant and rude and has no shame doing so in front of small children.

Thank god the cafe on Alveston square has opened, far far far nicer service, drinks and food. Plus barely a detour.

This actually happened a fair few weeks ago, I've been so conflicted about whether I just forget it and never go again or share my experience. But his rudeness is off scale. I even bought all my husbands socks from there as he loves them! I've spent a fortune there trying to support a local business!

I'm done making excuses for an arrogant and...

EDIT:

I've added a star. We tried again today, like the reply said it's new. They now have a kids menu which is not too bad and reasonable enough in price. The coffees were luke warm at best, but had we gone back and told them I'm sure they'd have fixed it. The cakes were tasty. The tables were still slow to be cleared. Much better than when we tried a few weeks ago but still not quite there. It's a nice convenient walk for us though so I'm sure we'll be back as there's a marked improvement.

We visited yesterday and had mixed feelings. It was very cold inside, most people stayed in coats and even in a downy jacket I was very cold. There's no kids menu and the sandwiches are all £4.50 regardless of how basic you make it. The "light bite" menu was very limited even for adults. There was a good cake selection, so if coffee and cake is what you're looking for then it would probably not disappoint. But if a light lunch is what you want, particularly if you have children, then I'd not go here. With 3 children it just isn't somewhere we'd re visit. Which is a shame, it has lots of potential, but just doesn't quite hit the mark. Tables were slow to be cleared, we cleared and wiped our own, many others were slow to be cleared too. The staff were all lovely though and service was great.

I thought very hard before writing this review. But had I read a review like this I'd probably not have wasted my...

Not the best i must say. I travelled here on my motorcycle as i live in the area and thought it looked interesting. The concept is brilliant have a coffee and view some Alpaca’s a very attractive prospect. However, i entered the cafe, was ignored for sometime whilst standing right in front of the server at the till, please do not confuse them for being busy they served one other before me then just stood there staring beyond me. I smiled and made eye contact, the first response from them was “where have you parked?”, near the bike rack i proclaimed. Then silence, i proceeded to tell him my order and drinks were made. I was baffled by this unfortunate encounter. The place and concept seems great, whomever was serving that day must just dislike customers that do not travel in the way they prefer. A few extra points you should know if you are brave enough to travel here is the entrance to the car park is via a gigantic pothole. Not friendly for any vehicle. I would thoroughly...