England’s Lane — Restaurant in London

RUDEST staff that I have even encountered in London. NEVER going back again. (coffee and food is decent as it was not my first time there).

I am local in Belsize Park and England's Lane was my go to place to meet up with friends (approx. once a month).

On a Saturday morning (end of Nov 2024) I have set down for a quick coffee with a friend that I have not seen in a while. I also had an iPad with me a wanted to show my friend some images of my place that I had renovated recently. We are waiting for 10min for someone to take our order, than all of a sudden a lady comes over, being rude and disrespectful, made an assumption without even talking us and scolds us like kids in the nursery. Me: Hi morning, can we get two cappuccinos please? Manager/Waiter starts with: Are you going to stay here long? I can see what you are doing, you are doing work while on Saturday we have a clear and strict no work policy!!! I hope you are not going to stay here all day!!! Me: (looking in awe and confused) We have just sat down 10 min ago for a quick coffee, we are not doing any work, just showing my friend some images of my apartment. Manager/Waiter: Well it looks like work, we do not allow iPads or Laptops or whatever you have there on the table! Anyway... Ok, I will take your order but do not stay long! Me: Can we get two coffees in a takeaway cups please? Manager/Waiter: Ok (rolling her eyes and leaving the table).

My friend felt very disrespected, thought had something with their looks or their ethnicity.

I had to apologise to my friend, we got up, I paid for the coffees at the...

Great cafe - if overpriced - but if you’re on your own you’re a 2nd class citizen. The recent clampdown on using electronic devices at weekends (I mean, come on , it’s 2021) was a sign of the real agenda, I suspect: discouraging lone visitors. I am a loyal customer but haven’t been for a while. I had brunch there on my own with the papers, on a Sunday afternoon. Not only was I passively aggressively told not to use my kindle (a digital form of a book, guys) but when the place was half empty, someone else came in on their own and they were seated about a metre away from me in the window. I got up discretely to ask the staff why, as it didn’t seem very Covid-compliant. “Oh those [huge] empty tables are in case families come in”. Ok, but have some common sense and don’t force lone diners to sit squashed up next to each other if you wouldn’t ask the same of families. It’s discriminatory. All in all I just think the manager of this place is selfish. If this cafe was in New York it would go out of business. Such a shame that during a pandemic with so many people forced to work from home this is one unwelcoming place for them to get a change of scene. Oh - and ironically, I remember that before it expanded, the manager used to sit on her own all the time with her laptop doing work. One rule for her… one for the...

The most vile customer service in London. Today I was made fun of, belittled and embarrassed by a staff member. I am still in shock of what happened. I was simply ordering and asking about their pastries and croissants they had as I was ordering for the child I care for, I asked for whichever pastry had chocolate/chocolate croissant to which this particular female staff member took it upon herself to inform me the correct name in a sarcastic tone. Only then to turn around and laugh and tell her work colleagues how "in this country we don't have chocolate croissants" carried on laughing and making fun of me by saying how she does try to educate customers "one at a time" I've never felt so embarrassed and stupid as I was standing behind her while she said this waiting to pay. Then I asked her if they take cash, was looked up and down like I was a piece of rubbish and told rudely no. I would never return to this place if my life depended on it and I sincerely hope management revisit their staff employment reviews especially for this particular person and educate all their staff in some basic human manners to begin with and customer service. This was appalling I would never want anyone else to experience this and be made to feel how...