Evie Hamilton
Google
I purchased a voucher for two afternoon teas at £70, but nowhere during booking was it stated that allergies wouldn't be accommodated.
A week before, I informed them of my nut allergy through their website and received an automatic response stating they don't cater for allergies. Disappointing, but I assumed this meant any nut-based items in afternoon tea would not be replaced.
Upon arrival, I informed the waiter of my nut allergy again which resulted in them refusing to serve me afternoon tea. They said the chef didn’t want to risk cross-contamination, and suggested I order from the lunch menu instead. This confused me, as the lunch menu items were prepared in the same kitchen as the afternoon tea. How could they guarantee no cross-contamination for the lunch item but not the afternoon tea? To make matters worse, the lunch item I ordered turned out to be part of the afternoon tea, just served in mini form.
My lunch order didn’t even equate to the £35 value of the voucher. No refund or partial refund was offered.
I don't blame the staff on shift; they were polite and likely following company policy. My issue lies with the restaurant's allergy policy and the lack of clear communication.
It's unacceptable not to make reasonable efforts to accommodate allergies. It should be clearly stated when buying an afternoon tea voucher that allergies will result in refusal of service. When charging £70 for two afternoon teas, an effort to cater to allergies should be made.