Dobbies Garden Centre Chesterfield 4 High Wood Way, Barlborough, Chesterfield S43 4XN

"Visited cafe yesterday afternoon and was appalled at the standards of service and cleanliness. We only wanted coffees but It took us 20 minutes to be served with lengthy queues at both coffee stations and then also at the till. There was no cutlery to be found anywhere and trying to find a clean table to sit at was nigh on impossible. In the area we chose to sit there were 11 tables but 7 of these were piled high with used and dirty crockery from previous customers. Current customers were having to move crockery themselves and to clear their own space before they could sit down. To compound matters there was food on the floor that had not be cleaned up and dogs were being allowed to sit on the seating area benches instead of laying on the floor as our dog was. Overall it was not a pleasant experience and after 30 mins we decided to leave and not spend our usual hour wandering around the garden centre and shop. During our visit there was no attempt by any staff member to clean or tidy the area and it was as bad when we left as when we arrived. There were lots of muttering concerning the cleanliness from other customers in addition to ourselves so we were not alone in our feelings. My wife and I are regular visitors to the cafe as we are Dobbies card holders and also live locally but we have noticed a steady decline in standards over recent months so yesterday was not a one off event. If there is no drastic improvement over the next few months I will be seriously considering not renewing my membership. THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHER SIMILAR GARDEN CENTRES/CAFES TO CHOOSE FROM IN WHAT IS A VERY COMPETITIVE MARKET."

"My previous visits to the cafe have been great but I expect like most businesses they are finding it difficult to recruit or due to staff turnover they cannot train staff properly. It was no problem to be told today it was a 30 minute wait for hot food. The announcement was as though they wanted to deter you. After 40 minutes after having to chase the food it arrived barely warm with the salad accompanying it served on a warm plate. The very hard working staff member could not have been more apologetic when I asked for a refund. Our cakes and coffee were fine if not a little to long to queue to pay."

"Had to share this lovely gazebo with you - staff were great helped me get into my car - a tad difficult to assemble as no instructions, but well pleased with result and quality. We love it!"

"Came here for some gardening supplies and decided to have coffee , and food . Ordering and paying process was simple and efficient. Staff are very friendly and courteous. Food ordered took an inordinate amount of time, and was disappointing,( portion size was awful, bread roll dry as a stick, egg over cooked , one tiny piece of bacon and very sad looking sausage). Price paid for breakfast roll did not justify the quality or presentation. One minor plus is there’s a dog friendly area to eat and drink Disappointing visit to Dobbies"