The Bottle Kiln - JD Wetherspoon — Restaurant in Tendring

I went here with my friend and our 4 children from the moment we walked in we didn’t feel welcome. It’s the worst place I have ever been to in my life I cannot even begin to start or share our experience without being angry. We arrived for an early dinner as we know some weatherspoons have a cut off time for kids fair enough. We were here from London as my friend owns a holiday home locally. So we would essentially be repeat customers. After asking at least three staff and 15 minute wait we got a half cleaned table fair enough we went to the bar to order some drinks. Having purchased drinks only to be told oh you cannot give them to your 20 year as she doesn’t have physical ID fair enough. Why not tell me before I placed the order? We then said ok take these two drinks as we won’t drink them now don’t want you have an issues so told in a rude way you need to pay we didn’t care at all paid and handed them back full. Order our starter eat those. Then I ordered on the app only to have the manager to come over and tell me that after one drink he wasn’t going to serve us no more “they couldn’t monitor who was drinking what” also then told we drove there according to “someone”. So he was only singling us out from the whole pub actually people that were spending money. So I asked him to explain and I was very polite did not loose my temper at all when most would.

How do you know we are over the limits sorry after order three drinks first time and one cocktail essentially pouring two drinks away? Sorry do you run a pub that’s not over the limit nor did we have a drink before coming to the pub. So one cocktail the smallest amount of alcohol and one double between myself and my friend is over the limit one drink each. My 20 year has a driving licence and insurances to drive the car probably hard to believe also 101 possibilities came into my head. So I didn’t know it was your job to watch how people arrive nor did I think the manager was the police. My daughter whom wasn’t allowed to drink was going to drive us home. Not that I need to explain. No one else was of colour in the pub only our table was singled out sorry I am not playing the race card but it’s something that makes you think. Having discussed with others they agree. Especially when the manager agreed I showed him respect and gave him the drinks when others wouldn’t do that. So where was your respect for me sorry maybe we didn’t fit. Why didn’t you tell us when we got there not this was the case. What was it your customers didn’t like us spending money or what was it as still the next morning I don’t understand. Yes my friend I pay my taxes and work very hard and yes we do own a nice car as we work hard so maybe instead of wasting you time on us educate your customers. You practically kicked us out of the place without eating which to me is still a shock you didn’t want us there so just say sorry I didn’t know that us sitting in a corner quietly eating was going to be an issue, really scary two women with their 4 kids 20 year old , 16 year old , 13 year and 4 year old. We did get a refund for our mains and drinks thanks for doing to the so quickly.

I have never been embarrassed in my life and it’s something that my kids shouldn’t have to experience especially at this age when the younger three are learning about society. You have really disappointed us and I would recommend to anyone going there not to go it’s the worst experience ever. Having experienced different cultures and been to different countries never expected this from the one that I have lived in my whole life.

I wish I could give a zero to this place as they don’t deserve to be open the manager didn’t even care about how we felt and was proud and when I said I am going to leave a review...

So my wife and I arrived at the bottle kiln at 1345 today and proceeded to check in. To be told, we don't take cash? Just drove 200 miles, nothing on the website no advanced warning. Thankfully my wife's bank is a short walk away.

That wasn't the end, far from it... went out for a long walk and built up a healthy appetite and at 1930 we came down from our room (105) where no window, but a velux skylite with electric blind that makes a loud racket when having to close it to black out the sunshine.

Room has tea stains all over the walls and chair backs have scrapped the paint off in places, hair on the towels (not ours).

I guess the only plus so far was the price of £49 per night for the room.

It goes on.. when we came down for dinner at 1930 on day one we were advised to download the wetherspoons app to order our food. To find 80% of the items were out of stock!!

All that was left was the simple steak. So I ordered 2. One for me with surf and turf option, and one for my wife without the option, also 2 pints of lager to wash it down.

I have heard from many on how good the food is at the spoons, I have to say, this was not good food and the experience was far from mediocre, in fact I would not recommend to any traveller in Harwich .

Service is very poor, staff are rude and don't care either way if you stay there.

My wife's steak had a very strange taste and she was not able to eat it, when the waiter came to collect it, his response to an uneaten steak "are you done" total lack of care for customers.

If your thinking of a visit.. don't, take your hard earned cash, sorry not cash as they don't take cash, your hard earned plastic to this establishment.

Check out the serviette we were given after a short time of 11 minutes, from our order to receiving our meal, if I can call it a meal. (Blue roll from the cleaning cupboard)

Obviously, Wetherspoons staff don't care about new customers only regulars who were seen hugging regular customers during a time when social distancing is advised.

Still it doesn't end, see the attached picture of the food and rubbish under table 35.

It doesn't take that long to sweep up and get a table ready for the next customer.

Day two, started with no hot water, I was unaware when we came to Dovercourt that we would step back into the 1950's when you could only bathe before 0700. Another nail in the coffin of Wetherspoons.

Such a shame, I wish I had booked another place instead, but rest assured I definatley won't use them again.

You have to think to yourselves, the owner sacked all his staff when the lockdown started, why would he give a damn about his customers, this visit proves it

Jason Ditchman

CC'ed to the CEO of Wetherspoons...

Just went to have a breakfast with family. Food arrived missing the fried eggs, went to food counter to get eggs. so far so good. However i then saw the "chef" pick up an egg from another plate on the counter under the heat lamps to put on mine. I have no idea if this plate was someone elses breakfast or just spare eggs sitting on the side. I quickly ask if he was actually going to do that to which he put the egg back down. Then the duty manager appeared and told me that this is the way it is done, it is their policy to pick cooked eggs from one plate to put them on another, using their hands. I was clearly unhappy and said i wanted a refund as i wasnt accepting it. He kept talking over me and talking down to me. I was then told because of MY visual display of unhappiness that i will not be getting my refund. I asked for his name and still in a mood walked away. The duty manager then approached my table, still seeing my unhappines, I informed him i wasnt in the mood for talking, however he ignored me and proceeded to tell me that this is how they do what they did and that it is policy. he said he can check the video as they wash their hands before doing such things, i said he hadnt washed his hands. He said he would check and would deal with it if he hadnt, i asked if i would then get a refund if he hadnt washed his hands and was told no. I was still clearly in a disgruntled mood and not accepting his explanation I got told I am banned from entering The Bottle Kiln again. Yes i got banned over 2 friend eggs. Sound pathetic but if this is how Wetherspoons are training their managers then I will be boycotting every Wetherspoons in the country. I visit many all over England due to my work. This has now put pay to that. I may come across as petty but witnessing what they did would put into question that they do when you cant see them working in the kitchen. For the sake of 2 eggs being handed instead of using a utensil, Wetherspoons has now lost a customer forever and will discourage anyone else to eat there. The manager wasn't interested in me having a pleasant experience in his branch but more so wanting to criticism me for my displeasure at what i witnessed. I know this won't apply to all Wetherspoons, but at present I am extremely annoyed at how i was dealt with. The duty managers attitude was very confrontational and bullyish. Great customer service...