Stephen Jones
Google
After careful consideration, in July 2024 I booked all three tables at Wilks to celebrate my Father's 80th Birthday on November 30th. James was aware of the reason for our booking. Shortly thereafter I paid a deposit to secure the booking.
The venue and food looked perfect and we organised a weekend in Bath around our dinner plans.
Three hours before our scheduled arrival at Wilks James emailed me cancelling the reservation, blaming a flood in his kitchen that had caused an electrical outage. He relayed that people had been at the restaurant 'all day' to try and resolve the issue, but they had been unsuccessful.
Having seen the email, I called James a number of times in order to get a better understanding of the situation. I even left a message offering for him to cook at the house we had rented. At no point would he answer the phone.
I walked past the restaurant and chatted to some of his neighbours. The electricity was clearly on in the building and nobody was aware, or had seen and signs, of the electrical issues or the efforts to resolve them.
Bath is extremely busy for the festive period, and securing an alternative booking for our party in the City Centre, at such late notice, proved impossible. Maybe if he had warned us earlier in the day things would have been easier.
I clearly have no idea whether there were issues with the kitchen, but I do see that approximately a month before our failed booking another potential customer suffered exactly the same outcome and excuse.
James did return my deposit on Monday 2nd December.
Based on the facts that at least two people have been let down in the same fashion, and James was not customer-focussed enough to actually make or receive a telephone call to discuss the situation, I would suggest that people consider other restaurants in Bath before relying on a meal at Wilks.
