AIBU to think we were miss sold this short break by Haven?

[givemebooks]

I could really do with some advice with how to take this complaint we made to haven holidays forward

Just before the may bank holiday we looked for last minute getaways in the UK and we found a good deal for 4 nights min to fri to Haven Church Farm.

Even more great as we wanted to check the site and look in to buying our own caravan at haven

So i contacted Haven by chat as last year we discovered that both my son and husband were Coeliac so i want to check if the site did any gluten free food

As this was a break to relax!! Quick breakfast at the van but main meals would be at the restaurant while the kids enjoyed the pool and other facilities.

I was assured that they provide gluten free options and could ask for the menu or the allergy list in the restaurant, so we booked

Drove from yorkshire to sussex and arrived van was nice and we were happy we headed to to main complex and had a drink decided to ask about the gluten free menu or allergy list to look over while we settled in with a drink and order later.

The young lad on the bar just said we dont do gluten free stuff sorry!?

I was a bit shocked as so far we had never been anywhere that could not do something?

So i asked a waitress thinking as working more with the food she might know more what i meant! But again was told as they don't have 2 kitchens they don't do allergy food?? They could tell me the ingredients if i wanted but they were not 100% and she said they were very busy and really did not have time for stuff like this!!

I was quite shocked, we had our drinks and drive out to chichester to eat and go to tesco so long story short we spent the whole trip driving around to eat or trying to cook for 5 in the cara an with 1 shelf in the tiny oven!

I was so angry as i would never have booked this break if i had known the issue with the food so i tweeted haven to be given an email to contact customer relations

Not only did the chat service say they provided allergy food, they had a sign in the resturant and it was printed on the menus!! It is also in havens own terms and conditions!! On the website!

I was then told that haven would not respond until 14 days after the end of the trip???

I did mention it to the reception onsite they put notes on my booking but the only option they had for dealing with complaints was resutrant vouchers!! Which was they very thing we could not use!

So it took after much chasing 23 days for haven to FINALLY respond to the complaint

And the stated that they do not provide gluten free food it is a company policy all parks for bourne leisure follow this and they were sorry but that was it!

So AIBU to think i was miss sold my break? And request a full refund!? I replied to haven with all my evidence and its been a week and they have not answered yet!

I expect it will be weeks again!

So i am right? Should i keep going with this??

Also a heads up to ANY food allergy or Coeliacs Haven is a place to avoid!!!!!

I will try and attach pictures of the signs and email!

It depends upon what you asked and what was on the menu. It's quite reasonable for the kitchen to say that they only have one kitchen so cannot guarantee allergy free but have gluten free options, most restaurants do this (you will see the disclaimer on the allergy list sheets). I cook gluten free food for work and always say that gluten containing ingredients are being cooked in the same kitchen. If head office looked on the menu and there were gf meals then they didn't lie

Chat operator said there were gluten free options on the menu. I assume there were (with the standard disclaimer about cross contamination)

None of their notices specifically state gluten free, just talks about allergens and says to ask staff. They absolutely will have an allergen book, the law says they have to and a large organisation will have done that. That one member of staff made a mistake, but without knowing the tone and content of the discussions it’s impossible to be clear on the circumstances.

I think you made some assumptions and learned a lesson. I can’t see there should be compensation though.

As for MIL booking with haven and being told the same. Had you not told her about it? That seems strange, given how outraged you are about it.

I think “having to drive out to Bognor or Chichester” is a bit of a stretch. There are a dozen restaurants, cafes and pubs within a mile of Church Farm. No car necessary and eating overlooking the beach is nice.
I’m pretty sure there would be gluten free options on the menus at the two on-site eating places. I would think as the parent of a coeliac, you would be very well placed to know which of the dishes were gluten free.
I’m not seeing a claim.

You don't sound grabby or entitled OP, ignore the armchair critics. I would pursue a claim on the basis that you were mislead as to what the facility could provide for you.

I wonder how much research you should be expect to do beyond an employee saying 'yes we provide gluten free options'. Maybe you should have checked with the CEO.

*Its even more confusing as since this happened my MIL has been in direct contact with the primrose valley haven as she has booked a weeks break there in august and she is taking my son who is coeliac

She was put in touch with the restaurant manager who stated they provide gluten free options!?

We are going to be unable to send my son as we cannot risk it it looks like even haven parks are confused*

I honestly wouldn’t cancel a holiday on the basis of not being to eat at the very mediocre Mash and Barrell at PV. There are stacks of lovely restaurants/pubs in and around Filey which is ten minutes drive at most.

But I’ve never been to a Haven and stayed on site 24/7 admittedly. I always assumed they were a base and went out every day.

I think the point is you didn’t just go by the T and Cs or the signs on the menu, you contacted them personally before you went to seek assurance. If they had said no we can’t cater to coeliacs you would not have booked the holiday. Good luck with getting any sort of refund - they’ll probably offer you a discount on your next trip. I also think that nowadays companies are more and more reluctant to offer any guarantees of “free from” food to cover their backs.

I've stayed at Church Farm before. If I remember correctly there are plenty of alternative places to eat nearby. The Haven restaurant is just one option of many.
Yes it would be annoying that you weren't given the full info regarding gluten free when you spoke to them but other than switching to an alternative restaurant choice I can't really see how it made much impact on your holiday at all.
Surely you would have been out visiting local places anyway. I don't think anyone stays on site all day or eats in just the one restaurant for the whole stay.
I'm sorry you were disappointed but I think you are making an necessary level of fuss.

I think this thread has pretty much made the OPs point and underlined it in red marker : very few people really know about coeliac disease, even fewer can be bothered to find out and of those few none were working for Haven over their stay.

Best wishes OP. Hope you find a satisfactory resolution.