Lunch at Debenham’s

roast turkey and all the trimmings

Once again turkey. I looked Tuesday, it was turkey. Every time I have looked it has been turkey.

Debenham’s used to serve excellent roast pork, even worth a visit to Debenham’s. But now all they serve is turkey.

It is bad enough Christmas when all they serve is turkey.

It is like the Monty Python sketch, spam, spam, spam, only in Debenham’s, it is turkey, turkey, turkey.

What is the use of customer service if no one is listening?

Not the fault of the staff, the fault lies with head office who issue diktats on what must be served.

This is appalling bad management, someone at head office trying to justify their own worthless existence.

Unless the local store is doing something wrong, let locally decide what is served, they know their customers, head office does not.

It was raining, turkey it was.

The vegetables were stone cold. The kitchen, kindly hotted up, but now not fit to eat. The turkey was awful. I left the meal half eaten.

I regretted not eating elsewhere, and would have done but for the rain.

A pot of tea and a cake.  Few places in Guildford serve decent cakes. Debenham’s is one of those rare places.

cheesecake and a pot of tea

Lunch at Debenhams

River Wey from Debenhams

roast pork and all the trimmings

I walked from Guildford Station along the River Wey to Debenhams.

Last week Debenhams was busy, no food left. This week empty, plenty of food left.

As it was raining and as there was roast pork, I decided to stay.

The chef told me they had cooked extra pork. I asked were the vegetables hot. He said yes.

Roast pork excellent, vegetables would have  been excellent too, if not cold.

Generous portion size.

Tables dirty, piled up with dirty dishes. Place all but deserted, and yet they cannot be bothered to clear and clean the tables

Heavy rain. I stayed and had raspberry cheesecake and a pot of tea.

Pleasant view overlooking the River Wey.

All but empty, and yet three people having the entire restaurant to choose from, sit almost on top of me. Then have  a noisy conversation.

Cue to leave.

Lunch at Debenham’s

Milmead view of River Wey whilst eating lunch

Debenham’s can do an excellent roast dinner, though it is very variable, usually let down by their vegetables.

roast pork and vegetables

Today it was roast pork, which is usually excellent. Today was excellent, though the crackling was not crisp.

The vegetables though were stone cold. And why no roast potatoes? Or at the very least, new potatoes?

Wifi did not work, Or rather the wifi did work, it was a good signal and fast speed, it was not connecting to anything.

I tried opening a web browser, as sometimes a log in is required (though this should be automatic), nada.

I spoke with a helpful Filipino lady. She said open web browser and log in. I did and it said welcome  Keith.

You are already logged in she said.

Still no connection.

chocolate cheesecake

I was going to have a cake elsewhere but their cheesecake looked good and so I stopped and had chocolate cheesecake and  a pot of tea.

I told the lady the vegetables were cold. She said I should have told her earlier.

As I was leaving I could hear data connecting.

I stopped and checked, yes I was now connected.

The restaurant overlooks the river, and as it was  a pleasant day, I sat outside.

As I was beside the river, I decided to take a walk along the River Wey to St Catherine’s Lock.

Lunch at Debenhams

lunch at Debenhams

To say lunch at Debenhams was disgusting would be an understatement. A pity as it is usually very good.

I looked in on my way to the farmers market in the High Street in Guildford. Only turkey. I was looking forward to the roast pork I had last week. I hope it is not going to be turkey every day until Christmas.

I returned later, but wished I had not. I should have gone to the Thai restaurant top of the High Street in Jeffies Passage or carried on over the Bridge and to the Keystone behind St Nicolas Church.

No turkey left, only a scraggly bit of chicken. They tried to charge me for a roast dinner. I said no way. They knocked a pound off.

It was then find a clean table. The restaurant was all but deserted, and yet empty tables were piled up with dirty dishes, the few tables that were not, were dirty, food on the floor. Eventually I settled for the least dirty table. Other customers were having to clear away the dirty dishes.

I contrast this with last week. Very busy, only one lady clearing the tables, and yet, no sooner was a table vacated she was over, clearing it and cleaning it. I complimented her on a job well done.

The chicken had seen better days, the carrots were cold, the other vegetables barely warm.

I should have asked for the store manager. I regret I did not.