Review Time
Visited the restaurant and ordered a bacon cob along with scrambled eggs on toast, but the wait was excessively long. When the food finally arrived, the bacon cob was merely warm, and the scrambled eggs on toast were no better, with the toast not even being toasted or buttered. After such a long wait, we had to move on, leaving no time to voice our complaints. Overall, a very unsatisfactory experience.
⭐️ 1 Star I recently visited a garden centre to return an unopened product just two days after purchasing it, and the experience was truly perplexing.
I was informed multiple times that it was “company policy” to only provide an exchange for the same item or a credit note, which seemed illogical. This policy was supposedly “clearly displayed” at each checkout, but the one I used didn’t have any notice. A staff member even attempted to place a policy sign on the counter during our conversation, which was quite amusing.
This policy was never mentioned at the time of purchase, yet I was treated as if I should have been aware of it. When I requested some basic common sense, the manager raised her voice and suggested I email the owner. It was quite strange.
Being honest seemed to work against me: since the item wasn’t faulty and I was truthful, I was denied a refund. I was told that if I had claimed it was faulty, I would have received one. Eventually, I was offered a “50/50” option — half refund, half credit note — and another manager treated the situation like a game show, suggesting I should “take the offer.”
In the end, I accepted it out of necessity, but it left a bad impression. When paying premium prices for items that are cheaper online, decent customer service is expected.
We’ve spent a considerable amount here in the past — including a flimsy decoration that I had to repair myself — which perhaps should have been a warning sign. Overall, a very disappointing experience that will remind me to take my business elsewhere in the future.
⭐️ 1 StarI recently returned to Gates Garden Centre in Oakham to refund an unopened product just two days after purchase. What followed was genuinely baffling.I was repeatedly told it was “company policy” to offer only an exchange for the same item (which makes no sense) or a credit note. This policy was apparently “clearly displayed” at each till — except the till I used didn’t have one. In fact, a staff member even tried to quietly place a policy stand on the counter mid-conversation, comical. This policy was never mentioned when I bought the item, and yet I was spoken to as if I should have known. When I calmly asked for some basic common sense to be applied, the manager raised her voice and suggested to email the owner. Bizarre. Honesty also seems to work against you here: because the item wasn’t faulty and I told the truth, I was refused a refund. I was even told that had I simply claimed it was faulty, I’d have received one. Eventually I was offered a “50/50” — half refund, half credit note — and another manager treated the whole thing like a game show suggesting I should “take the offer”.In the end, I accepted it because I had no choice, but it’s left a very sour taste. When you’re paying premium prices for products that are far cheaper online, you at least expect decent customer service.We’ve spent plenty here in the past — including a Snowman decoration that was so flimsy I had to weld it myself — but perhaps that should have been the warning sign.Overall, a really disappointing experience and sadly a reminder to take my money elsewhere in future.
We did the wreath making at Gates’ Hinckley today. It was the best wreath making class we have done. Abbie and Jen were great teachers, patient, friendly and helpful. , the mince pies were to die for, great choice of drinks and everyone is complimenting the final product. The robin hopping around us made the event! Can’t wait to come next year!
Visited Gates today, my review is purely on the restaurant. Just under £60 for scampi and chips, 5 pieces of very over cooked scampi with mushy peas (although garden peas ordered) fish and chips with mushy peas. Well the fish was definitely dead - it would have drowned in the very thick brown batter! There would have been more fish in 3 fish fingers. A child’s cheese sandwich box. This was ok. Pot of tea for one, oat milk cappuccino and a Diet Coke that was that watered down at £3.99 it was undrinkable. Then to end our visit as my partner was finishing her lunch, a staff member asked if they could clear the table, we said yes but wasn’t expecting her to then spray the table plus our drinks and the last part of a lunch! Absolute crap if I’m truthful, enjoy the garden centre but don’t waste your money in the restaurant. Let the silver surfers sup up the carvery and spend their pensions.
This used to be a great place to go when it was Dobbies and dogs were allowed.Been a few times since it was taken over but hadn’t realised dogs are no longer welcome.What a total shame, it was nice place to young puppies for training and food after.The fish store used to be great with the dogs when you were walking around inside.Shame that I went all that way with our dog and he couldn’t go in.I really think this is a very poor decision and disappointing for a centre that has always been so welcoming to pet owners.I won’t be going back.
We had heard good things about the Sunday roast carvery at the Stapleton branch of Gates.The roast was just about passable but the queue to get it was not.The kitchen was obviously having a job to keep up with customer demand and the guy carving the meat had to keep stopping carving and worry about shortages of yorkshires, vegetables and sauces and plates. My wife and I are elderly and standing in a queue for 45 minutes before we reached the meat carver was no joke. We were lucky enough to get the last two yorkshires but all the sauce dishes were empty. There are many pubs in this area that do a better (and cheaper) Sunday carvery and without the excessive wait.
Gone down the pan since gates took it over from Dobbies, now they don’t allow dogs into the garden centre, they even suggest on their website to park in a shaded area and leave your dogs in your car!!! Totally unacceptable and bad advice, even a car in the shade can heat up quickly in the summer!! I won’t be shopping with them in the future with or without my dog!!
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