The Star Inn — Restaurant in Wealden

Truly awful. We, 6 adults, an autistic 7 year old and a 7 month old baby were met with EXTREME RUDENESS, the worst customer service we have ever had. One of us was on time (1.15pm), others max 15 minutes late, in part, because a large group of classic cars had filled the car park, so we had to park nearby and walk.

Having looked at the menu on-line which reads ‘Please Speak to a member of staff about allergies & also our Vegan Options!’, we had asked about these and was told that someone would be along in a minute. I asked shortly after if it were table service for drinks or should I go to the bar and was told it was table service and someone would come and take our order.

Believing the member of staff who came to the table next was there to help with those things, I tried to order drinks, I was interrupted and was rudely told to order food NOW as we arrived late. Odd - as it was the pub who had asked to move our booking later (12.45pm to 1.15pm).

My friend then asked about the vegan options, and she was rudely interrupted too, told to order from the menu and in tone that was SHOCKINGLY PATRONISING and HOSTILE, was handed one with the words “that's a MENU”.

The food was good. Tiny problems (missing cutlery, defective pepper grinder) were resolved quickly. We also got more gravy. I had to find someone to ask for desert menus, but was always v. polite.

We ordered 3 cheesecakes, teas and coffees. Then, the hostile one returned saying the young man who had taken our order was new and "didn’t know what he was doing" (uncomfortably belittling him in-front of us) and that there was only 1 small cheesecake. So, we changed our order. My friend asked if they had "any like, plain ice cream” (she was asking for my son as the menu only had ice cream with rum), the woman hostility replied “we don’t have LIKE ice cream, we have ice cream”. She then said the flavours. She seemed unable to hide her irritation when my son was asked what he wanted, he's autistic repeats questions. After she left and the young man cleared the table, we assured him he was doing a good job as she’d clearly demoralised him.

The food and drinks arrived, the waitress asked who the tea was for, I asked if it was the earl grey and the waiter said they didn’t have any earl grey, so I said, "no, I don’t want that then". My friend said she’d have the tea instead. My friends went downstairs to pay and left whilst I took my son to the bathroom. As my son and I were leaving, the previously rude woman apologised for the tea mix up, saying that they did have it and that there was a mix up. I said, "it’s OK, mistakes happen" and continued to walk to the exit. And then it got worse!

She said we'd been rude and had put a hand in the face of the waitress. We REALLY had not been the rude ones! I stopped, asked if she was serious as we’d had the worst customer service that we’d ever had. I apologised to the waitress saying “I’m really sorry if you felt we’d been rude darling", and the older woman told me not to use darling as it was patronising! I looked at her incredulously and reminded her the comment “we don’t have like ice cream, we have ice cream" and then she barked at me to keep my voice down or leave. Odd - as she made this false accusation when I was walking to the door to LEAVE. I then said we were local and would have given them future custom, but now wouldn’t, and she shouted “Good, get out of my house”. I said she was “extraordinarily rude”, my sweet autistic son was becoming distressed and she said “poor boy”, poor boy” inferring that my son suffered having me as his mother! And then I left, shaken and shocked. We were all affected, she ruined the meal. I still feel shaken and left the pub more than 6 hours ago.

I'm trying to recall if anyone put their hand in the waitress's face in a way that could have been viewed as rude, and can’t. Did I put my palm up when I declined the wrong tea? Maybe, but to put it ‘in her face’ would have meant rising extending my arm fully in a way popular in Germany in the 30s/40s. And I definitely...

We’ve eaten here a few times before being local and have always enjoyed ourselves. we came as a group of 13 and sat in the beautiful garden for a friends birthday. Sadly a few of us were a little late, but the unfriendly owner insisted that the food order had to be taken immediately when the majority of the party arrived (even though there were only a couple of people in the pub at the time). The fishcakes were off the menu even though They hadn’t started service - it was 12pm. Inevitably the 3 of us who were late found that everyone else in the party had finished their main courses and our mains had been made, brought out and sat on the table and were just reheated when we got there. We Had one pearl barley risotto which was fine. One charcuterie board and one fish platter (which I may add are both quite expensive for what we had). I don’t know if the pub hadn’t had an order in from the fish supplier, but sadly we were served packet salami and chewy fish mix from the supermarket. Both boards sadly were very very disappointing, both also had stale bread and horribly salty olives from a tin. We had a couple of bites and left the rest. When we later called the owner to explain that we sadly hadn’t enjoyed the meal this time but explained the waiter we had was very friendly and the garden was lovely, she became very aggressive and told us we and our friends aren’t welcome! It’s a big shame as now all 13 of us and our friends and family will not be eating at the pub and the pub needs as many customers as possible at this...

I recently moved to Heathfield within walking distance of this pub.

I visited with my elderly mum and my daughter. On entering my mum asked if they take cards due to the sign by the entrance about cash.

Then my mum asked if they could make her a lemon lime bitters. Instead of asking what it was, the landlady said no despite the fact that I could clearly see Aromatic Bitters on the shelf and what decent pub doesn't have lemonade on tap and a bottle of lime cordial?

My mum then asked if they were still serving food (it was nearing 2pm) to which the woman said yes but we needed to order soon which was fine so we had a quick look at the menu and just ordered a sharing platter to nibble on.

The landlady was standoffish verging on rude.

Personally I would have walked straight out but my mum had wanted to come here so we sat outside as I didn't want to make a scene. I had already said how rude she was.

The waitress who brought the platter out was pleasant which is why I gave it 2* for service.

Basil Fawlty gave better service than this woman. Initially I thought maybe she was having an off day but other reviews comment on her poor attitude.

It's such a shame as the place has real potential. It has a lovely setting and it's a 14th century inn. I would imagine the food is decent here too.

You couldn't pay me to visit this place again unless it...