Sophia Pender
10/09/2023
Although the food and hall itself were suitable, I was incredibly disappointed with the organisation and service for my mother's birthday party celebrations in the function hall. Here is a (lengthy) account of my experience that may help others to make a decision as to whether they want to book this venue for an event. We were told prior to the event that it was a very relaxed venue, we could set up anytime after 3pm (for a 6pm start) and that we could select certain bottles of wine and certain beers to add to a bar tab. When we arrived around 4pm with some decorations, there was a children's birthday party on. One of the more senior staff members at the bar was very flippant with us when we asked when the last function would end for us to be able to start setting up, and we had to prompt him several times before he would assist the junior staff member in checking when the last booking would end. It ended at 5:30pm, which we should have been told prior to the date, as my guests were arriving at 6pm and had I known this, I could have decided to set the start time at 6:30pm to allow additional time for set-up. It was not explained, despite calling beforehand, that another function was on prior and that we could not access the hall until 6pm even for set-up. Once I set up the bar tab, I decided to purchase particular bottles of wine, which I was told in a prior phone call was possible. I noticed later on in the night that items that I had not authorised that guests had ordered had been added to the tab, with no consultation or mention from the bar staff or manager. At 5:40pm, the room was dirty and disorganised. Luckily the catering manager helped to organise the bar staff to vacuum and clean tables, though he was the only staff member who was kind and willing to help on the night. I asked around 5:45pm about the projector, to which I was told to "just sort it out later when I needed it because it's really easy". When the connection did not initially work later in the night, the manager immediately blamed my computer - it eventually worked after he turned the projector off and on again. We were told half way through the event that there were no more wine glasses available, but no staff had entered our room to clear glassware at any point during the night and they didn't bother after we alerted them that there were plenty of dirty glasses available to be cleaned in the function room. This seems unusual to me because it would have seriously affected their sales, as many guests now were unable to have another glass of pre-bought wine. At no point did anyone come to ask how everything was going. The bar staff mainly ignored serving my guests through the side window, and guests ended up walking out of the function room and around to the main bar to order instead. We were told the speakers were not working to play our own music after the jazz band had left, but the microphone was still working.... I have never experienced service from pub staff who were so short and unfriendly with customers and I did not see a smile on any of their faces the whole night. I am lucky that we had a fantastic group of guests and a jazz band to enjoy my mother's 60th, because the Diddy's staff did not heighten the birthday celebrations whatsoever. Perhaps it would be okay if someone wanted no input or help from any of the staff members for an event and just needed a room with very limited prior planning required.