The Walnut Tree — Restaurant in West Suffolk

Absolutely horrible customer service.

We recently made a booking for 7 people (this was two families, 4 adults and 3 children). When phoning the restaurant we were told they could not accommodate 7 at one table inside but that we were welcome to sit outside in the first come first serve seating together. We booked the inside table just to ensure a place to eat with young children on time. When we arrived we were shown two tables about 6 ft apart downstairs. We asked if we could push the tables together for our group and were told that was not allowed. We said we’d sit outside as they’d told us we could instead. They then told us we could not sit at a table together outside either. My husband asked them why we were told we could sit together outside if that was no longer the case and they stated it was due to COVID regulations. At this point my 2 year old started to cry so we left the restaurant to be polite and not ruin other’s dinners together. My husband told the woman working there he was going to go talk to me outside and see what we wanted to do and would come right back. While we were talking in the parking lot and trying to decide what to do given their rules on seating the woman who worked there walked out into the parking lot to our car and said “You have to understand our side of this...” my husband attempted to interject that we were not upset with them at all, just trying to work through what to do with a very hungry toddler, but was cut off by the woman now saying “we are in a pandemic and you should understand this, as people of the general public you need to do your part to not spread the disease and not have large dinner parties”

I politely said “it’s ok, we will be leaving” and started to put my child into the car. She again began berating us for wanting to eat dinner in a party of 7 (again this is 2 families, 3 of which are children, and there’s no change in regulations, the new restrictions took place the following Monday and still did not restrict us from eating together). We again stated we did not need our booking and left. She left in a very hostile way and made a rather rude comment to the crowd sitting outside as she walked back in.

We loved this place and were really looking forward to eating there and are so sad to say we will never give them business...

A Disappointing Experience at The Walnut Tree

I have visited The Walnut Tree several times before, but what happened about a month and a half ago was an experience I will never forget—and not in a good way.

That night, I decided to take my fiancée, who was experiencing her very first visit to a British pub. We are relatively new to the UK, and I chose this place because it was convenient, located near my apartment. I never imagined that what should have been a pleasant evening would turn into an uncomfortable and humiliating moment.

When we walked in, my fiancée was finishing a smoothie she had brought from another place. We had no idea this would be considered offensive or disrespectful, especially since our plan was to order multiple drinks and food at the pub. However, instead of kindly explaining the establishment’s policy to us, the woman at the counter treated us with unnecessary hostility.

I tried to stay calm and ease the tension by asking for beer recommendations, hoping to shift the tone of the conversation. But instead of relaxing, she became even colder and more dismissive, to the point where it was clear we were not welcome at all. At that moment, I realized there was no reason to stay.

I left feeling frustrated and disappointed, but what hurt the most was having to apologize to my fiancée for bringing her to a place where she was treated with such little respect during her first British pub experience. That night, I called our friends and canceled our plans to meet there. I simply couldn’t, in good conscience, bring anyone else to a place where customer service was so unwelcoming.

It’s a shame because I had decent experiences here before. But after that night, I know I will never return. It’s not about the pub’s policies—it’s about the lack of respect in the way we were treated. A business can enforce its rules, but when courtesy and basic human decency disappear, so do...

Stayed in their accommodation, and it is lovely!! I am a clean freak when it comes to hotels, so when I remark on cleanliness, you know it's immaculate! At first I liked the hardwood floors in the room because they are much cleaner than carpet, but now I LOVE their hard wood floors as they are also heated!!! Fresh clean linens, comfortable mattress, soft headboard. Spotless bathroom, modern fixtures, spacious shower, GIANT fluffy towels, tile floor, all so clean! The room was very simple and plain, which I love as it feels much more comfortable and cozy to me than rooms decorated with cheap terrible art from 1977 in tacky guild gold frames and trimming fixtures that collect dust... No dust in this accommodation!! It had the perfect design combination of modern and classic. Lighting is perfect, recessed lights, with a modern style lamp, no tacky dust covered lamp shades! Nice TV with Netflix and some other apps that I didn't get around to using. Staff was exceptionally friendly. Great food at the restaurant! I can't really find anything bad to say about this place! I'm one that will quickly write a bad review, neglect an okay review, intend to write good reviews and forget, but this place is EXCELLENT! They have earned an excellent review from me... One tiny, minor detail... I'm an American, so I find it odd that not every single hotel in this country has mini refrigerators, but I don't feel that a cultural difference should detract at all from this rating! Five stars,...