to have created a scene in Chez Gerard

[margoandjerry]

Chez Gerard have just opened up on the high st in our small suburban town - it used to be a Cafe Uno which was always very family friendly.

I just went in there (3pm) with my mum and with the baby in pram - the place is huge and was 3/4 empty. The manager came and told us the pram would have to be folded or we would have to leave but a) it doesn't fold much as it's a bugaboo and b) the baby was asleep and would have slept all through lunch and c) it was not in the way at all so why?

He said it would get in the way of wheelchairs (of course there was no one in there in a wheelchair) but there was stacks of room anyway - you could have got a Red Arrows style squadron of wheelchairs through there. They had finished with lunch and there were only about 5 tables in use in the whole place. I said that we used to go there all the time when it was Cafe Uno which is owned by the same group and I even showed him where we used to sit, right at the back away from everyone and not causing the remotest obstruction.

He kept offering a high chair but the baby is too small for that and anyway, was fast asleep. I was furious and ranted away at him and all he could say was "it's company policy".

I wouldn't mind if this was in the City and full of adults at lunchtime or in the evening and full of people wanting a quiet meal together but it was in the middle of the afternoon, quiet as death and the baby was fast asleep.

I think this whole "you'll have to fold the buggy" thing is code for "no babies". Got the same attitude in Baker and Spice last week as well which made me even madder given Baker and Spice's target market which I assume to be posh mums.

I shouldn't really be bothered as we went down the road to a really nice local restaurant (not a chain) instead. Had a lovely meal and were made to feel very welcome. Also just remembered that I saw a mouse once in the Chez Gerard in Covent Garden. Pah. They are incompetent fools.

[titchy]

Quite right to make a fuss! This small suburban town isn't in Surrey is it - begins with a 'C', local authority begins with an 'E'? Only I've heard similar things about our new Chez Gerard also on site of an old Cafe Uno!

[TeeCee]

Quite right to make a fuss, comapny policy my arse, more like jobsworth tosser!

[LadyMacbeth]

I just hate the crappy feeling you get from places like this, you just feel penalised for having children! Totally crapola.

You are not being unreasonable for having created a scene.

[NotanOtter]

i thought this was a thread about a mumsnetter

[inanidealworld]

They are out of order and obviously living on another planet.

[JaneAustenAllegro]

Sounds like an idiotic jobsworth to me. Oh well they're only going to lose business for themselves.

I would email company HQ to complain.

[bakedpotato]

Really off. I wouldn't leave it at this. I've just looked at their website here
and it's got a children's menu flagged up ffs! And looky here, 'Families and children are always welcome and there is a special children?s menu and goody pack.'
I think you should send them a link to this page, mentioning the location. I'd be surprised if you didn't get a satisfactory response

[exbury]

Definitely complain to HQ. Could be a getting-above-himself manager if the website goes on about family-friendliness.

Funnily enough we got exactly the same from Cafe Rouge a couple of months ago. We walked out and went and had lunch at a really nice Thai place instead, swearing never to go back. However, it is the only place near us you can use Tesco vouchers, so we went again today and it couldn't have been more different - they were really friendly and helpful. I decided they must have had a change of manager - maybe now we know where the old one went? (we are nowhere near Surrey, BTW)

[dueat44]

If it's the Cha branch of Chez Gerard, took DS there for a treat at end of the holidays. They had advertised a children's deal including play pack, bread, drink, pizza and ice cream for pud so in we went.

Play pack 'unavailable'. Bread was only brought when I demanded it. Pizza was OK. The waiter said that they had changed their minds about offering the ice cream for pudding so would not bring it.

And they ccked up my food.

Never been back.

[dueat44]

That's C&bh&&

[cazzybabs]

What a load of rubbish...I have had dd in a pram in our branch before now!

[GRUMPYGIRL]

Now you know why it wasnt busy, always an indicator of the service.

[Caligula]

Definitely complain, the manager was lying, it is not company policy and his company will be very irritated with him for lying about it.

You'll probably get some vouchers which you can wave in his face next time you go in after he's been told off by HO!

[indiajane]

No you're not unreasonable - they are!!

[SherlockLGJ]

Oh great they are coming to Farnham......I was looking forward to it. Now I can hardly wait [insert sarcasm]

[lilybubble]

Not unreasonable at all - makes me mad when restaurants do this. Make as big a fuss as you have the time and effort to. At least get the idiot FOH manager in trouble with any luck.

[titchy]

Duet - yes that's the one I was referring too! The caff just by the car park much friendslier and better value! Saw Max Clifford in there too dontcha know!

[nogoes]

Our Cafe Uno do this, very unfamilyfriendly. Cafe Rouge on the other hand have always been most accommodating, when ds was tiny you did not even have to ask for a warm jug of water to warm the bottle they would just bring it out and would take your food and reheat it if they could see you were busy with baby, one of the waiters even walked around with ds to give me chance to finish my meal.

[dueat44]

If CG want to discourage the family element, they shouldn't advertise children's menu + play pack!

I agree about the cafe Titchy - many swear by it. Red Peppers and Bar Estilo in Esher also v welcoming to children and babies.

[margoandjerry]

it wasn't Cbhm though I have frequented the Cafe Uno there! It was Tedton (got it?!)

Am shocked by the website in comparison to the actual experience.

Lostinfrance I think you might have uncovered the truth there. But then I say to Chez Gerard, you're in the wrong town. Tedton is nothing but mums and babies - don't know who else they are expecting. Even I get freaked out by the number of mothers and babies on the High St.

Will def write and may even print off this thread for them - they will be sore afraid when they read my words of wrath.

[casper06]

What a crap experience, I'd still be fuming too. They may as well have told you straight we don't want Mums and kids in here.
I've just got back from Turkey and the different attitude towards children is mindblowing, they actually like them!!!!!

[Twiglett]

I got thrown out of a chain bar once because I walked in with a sleeping 2 month old in a sling around me .. they had a 'no children allowed' policy

[Twiglett]

oh it was 'all bar one' btw

[Gemmasmummyplusoneintummy]

My husband and I and 4 month old baby got chucked out of a W@th@rsp@@ns pub as they "weren't licensed to allow children". We could easily walked out and gone elsewhere, but my husband had already bought our drinks inside and taken them outside onto the terrace, and had already started drinking when the manager ordered us to leave. We asked for our money back but he refused. I think it was a bit off that they took the money for the drinks but refused to give us our money back when they realised we had a baby. This was in the early afternoon, by the way, and the pub was nearly empty!