The Clock Tower - Erewash

The Garden Centre is lovely, with amazing gifts, clothes friendly, helpful staff. The Clock Tower Restaurant is letting them down. Our most recent visit saw agi... read more The Garden Centre is lovely, with amazing gifts, clothes friendly, helpful staff. The Clock Tower Restaurant is letting them down. Our most recent visit saw agitated customers looking round wondering where their order was one table was heard to say "We thought you had forgotten us! This seems to typify our experiences. After waiting quite a while, we ordered coffees cheese scones. The coffees appeared without sugar or teaspoons but these things happen. What shouldn 't have happened was the 'non arrival ' of the scones. We stopped a passing waitress to ask where they were were told they were on their way. They still didn 't arrive so stopped the same waitress to explain our coffees were getting cold we 'd wanted to eat the scones at the same time. Eventually, without apology, the scones were served by our original waitress who had just stood chatting at the till with other staff who seemed to have no regard for customers waiting for a table or waiting to be served. Unfortunately, all our previous visits have let us down as follows: The inability to serve hot meals to 4 people at roughly the same time so 2 people can have almost finished before the others start. Not acceptable. Water is only served in VERY tiny glasses with no jug, even in hot weather. Tiny serviettes barely cover ONE knee are not fit for purpose. Two people in our group of 4 had the Eton Mess and one dish was piled high with the other less than half. Fish is served in a DISH with the head tail overhanging so the ends fall onto the table when you try to cut it. Chips are hidden under the fish so you have to hold up the fish to try to cut the chips. Staff don 't come to you to ask if you want more water, a sweet, coffee or if your meal was satisfactory. They have NOT been busy on any of these occasions merely chatting laughing in the middle! We had to get up to ask for the sweet menu which was brought to us by a very unpleasant waitress who never even returned to ask what we wanted. Again, after a long wait, we had to get up to ask someone else. An almost empty restaurant but were only given two menus for the four of us. When we arrived and were allocated our table, we were told that someone would come to take our order but no one did so we had to get up to tell the person who 'd showed us to our table and she herself then came to take the order. Eating out should be a relaxing, pleasant experience but it certainly is not that, at The Clock Tower! We will not visit again.

This cafe has so much potential but every time I go I’m left disappointed. The food is ok, it’s largely down to the miserable disengaged staff and the weird sys... read more This cafe has so much potential but every time I go I’m left disappointed. The food is ok, it’s largely down to the miserable disengaged staff and the weird systems they have in place. I’m convinced that the criteria for a job there is to have a deep seated hatred of people. Both my daughter and I had Quiche with a choice of 2 salads with it. I had the pearl barely salad which was dire. Few tasteless dry bareley things with pomegranates. And the potato and feta not much better. So this cafe you completely go off radar when you have paid up and your food is delivered. We decided we would like a desert but staff no where to be seen. So my daughter goes inside to order. She described the experience as rude. Then the most bizarre thing happened. Our plates were not cleared from the mains. There was lots of plates teapots and cutlery. There was no space left on the table. I’d seen a young lad clearing tables but he completely left ours. As we had waited for someone to take our dessert order for ages they had been there Atleast 1/2 hour after we had finished eating. The waitress came out with the child’s ice cream looking at me as if it’s my fault the table isn’t clear. Stood there . I just said find a space where you can. Plonked ice cream down. She went off I assumed to get someone to clear the table or clear it herself. No she came back holding 2 plates of pudding again with a surly look, my fault again there’s no space. I’m livid at point . although finding the whole situation bizarre . I’d spent over £50 on this meal and deserve to be treated better. Again I said find a space . She did. Unbelievable. The table wasn’t cleared. So I moved the the plates, teapots, glasses , bowls on to the next table. As I walked out there was 3 staff stood by the host stand chatting. I’ll come to garden centre again but never again in the cafe. The signs on the tables as you walk in the cafe say it all. Shouty instruction signage screaming out at you . ‘We are barely tolerating people here so dont put a foot wrong and don’t upset the staff’.

Myself and the wife went for lunch,when we ordered we wanted a desert as well the waitress said why don't you order after you've had your main, I'll put your nu... read more Myself and the wife went for lunch,when we ordered we wanted a desert as well the waitress said why don't you order after you've had your main, I'll put your number down so when you've finished your main we know your ready for desert, well...

We arrived at about 11:15 today (Saturday morning and looked busy, was given a table quickly ordered after 10 minutes, 1 hot chocolate, 2 bottles of pop and 2 c... read more We arrived at about 11:15 today (Saturday morning and looked busy, was given a table quickly ordered after 10 minutes, 1 hot chocolate, 2 bottles of pop and 2 cakes we waited 25 minutes for the drinks and cakes. Table service doesn't work with getting the orders out quickly, perhaps not enough staff for the amount of tables/ orders!

Came with my 4 year old at 11.20 wanting a scone and cup of tea. Had to wait to be seated, then left wondering what happens next. Asked a waitress who said ther... read more Came with my 4 year old at 11.20 wanting a scone and cup of tea. Had to wait to be seated, then left wondering what happens next. Asked a waitress who said there was a 15 minute wait for someone to come and take my order! Then it’d be another 15-20 minutes for them to bring me a scone even though I wouldn’t want hot food! I asked if I could just go up and get the scone (which I could see! and was told absolutely not, it’s table service. Barmy. I walked away….