Cotton Mill — Restaurant in Newcastle-under-Lyme

When enquiring about booking my baby shower, I contacted 3 places, James from The Cotton Mill was the only person/place that responded personally with more than an automatic/bog standard response which helped me to make the decision to enquire further. While me and my husband have been here before a few times and enjoyed the food a lot, I wasn’t sure if it would accommodate a baby shower, or how, but the staff assured me it was possible and they do have bookings for it. We initially booked the date and time but until deposits were in, could not ‘officially’ book which was absolutely fine and I totally understood, the fact a ‘provisional’ booking for the date and time was brilliant and plans were made for when I would start to bring deposits in. Bringing deposits in was made very easy, some people had transferred money to my account and some had given me cash and I was able to pay both as they had both were paid to me which was brilliant as I know some places can be awkward, I also noted that a new menu was due to come out the day after I brought some deposits in and asked if I could see the new menu, the member of staff was more than happy to hand me a menu for me to take away which was great! I received a confirmation text on the morning of my baby shower which was brilliant as I didn’t have to worry about ringing up to check to make sure we were still ok and booked etc. We turned up and were greeted by lovely staff and told that a lady would come over to take our order once we settled. The lady who came over to take our order was really polite, happy and friendly and was extremely accommodating. Although the food took a little while longer than I though it would, when it came out, it came out together and was really lovely. When we finished our meals, the waitress came and took our plates away and asked if we would like deserts, which we did but not quite yet, the waitress said to just shout her over when we were ready and she would come back and she did and she was again, very friendly and offered us the options of what we could have on each desert, she really was lovely and seemed to smile the whole time we were there. Some of the group even expressed that they would be returning in the future which made me feel like the right decision was made for our booking. Considering a ‘2 hour slot’ was given to us, we were there for approx 3 hours and were never made to feel like our time was up which was great! Paying the bill was really easy, everything was itemised too so people just paid the remainder of what they owed and I was even offered a ‘doggy bag’ of my leftover cheese/garlic pizza bread (which is really nice) and took it home for my husband. I would definitely recommend The Cotton Mill and will definitely be returning in the future. The staff on shift were Emily, Wendy, Laura and Lea (although I’m not sure which is which, sorry) the waitress for us though was absolutely brilliant! Can’t...

The Cotton Mill Pub: A Mixed Experience

My recent visit to the Cotton Mill Pub left me with mixed feelings, resulting in a two-star rating. While there were some positive aspects, there were significant drawbacks that marred the overall experience.

One of the primary reasons for my underwhelming experience at the Cotton Mill Pub was the quality of the food. It can best be described as mediocre at best. The menu offered a range of options, but the execution left much to be desired. The dishes lacked flavor and were, in many cases, disappointingly bland. It's disheartening when one looks forward to a satisfying meal and ends up with something that falls short of even the most basic expectations.

On a more positive note, the staff at the Cotton Mill Pub were okay. They were generally pleasant and accommodating, making an effort to ensure that our dining experience was as comfortable as possible. However, their service could have been more attentive, and there were occasional lapses that left us waiting longer than expected.

One significant issue during our visit was the clientele. It's unfortunate to report that on that particular day, the patrons were questionable at best. The atmosphere they created was far from welcoming and made us feel uncomfortable. This, in turn, affected the overall enjoyment of our visit. While one can understand that a pub can have diverse patrons, there should be a certain standard of behavior and respect that is maintained to ensure that all customers feel at ease.

In conclusion, the Cotton Mill Pub offers a mixed experience. The mediocre food quality is a significant drawback, and it leaves much to be desired for those looking for a satisfying dining experience. The staff, though pleasant, could benefit from more attentiveness. The real issue that stands out from my visit was the questionable clientele, which created an uncomfortable atmosphere. While it's possible that this may not be the case on all visits, it did significantly impact my overall impression of the pub. As such, I cannot rate the Cotton Mill Pub more than two stars based on my...

The kitchen staff totally ruined our visit. Starters were served efficiently and the family enjoyed them. We then waited almost an hour for our main course despite my partner asking then myself again asking how long our main course would be. People who had been seated to eat long after us were eating their meals as time ticked on and we still waited, I counted six tables and pointed this out to bar staff when I enquired after our food. The food finally arrived and was disgusting, powdery, rubbery mash potato, roast potatoes that were almost impossible to cut, sage and onion stuffing balls that actually were impossible to cut as was the pastry on the vegetarian Sunday lunch. The food was so disappointing that I asked to speak to a senior team member who said he was a relief manager, he apologised and told us that trip advisor had alot of complaints about the standard of food served, we were offered a free dessert, drink or £10.00 voucher off our next meal all of which I refused as we will not be returning and there's a chance I would still be waiting now for my dessert to arrive. Why oh why has this issue not been addressed before now if you are aware of the problem? The pub was not even full so to wait almost an hour for food baffles me. I have to stress that aside from the kitchen, your staff were lovely, friendly and efficient, a credit to your chain. We will not be visiting the cotton mill again for obvious reasons and I would appreciate some feedback /acknowledgement from yourselves regarding our experience. Thanking...