Wetherspoons. The Reply
It speaks for itself. As I'm currently without scanner I have just typed the entire letter out for your viewing pleasure. And pleasure it is. Or maybe that should be fantasy.29th February 2008
Without Prejudice
Dear Miss [Bendy Girl]
I am writing further to my recent correspondence, I apologise for the delayed reply.
I am sorry to hear of your disappointment when visiting the [wetherspoons pub in question. Place name incorrect]. I would like to assure you that we do treat all customer feedback seriously and appreciate you writing to us.
All of our pubs must be empty at closing time to ensure compliance with the license restrictions. As part of this the staff members will circulate the pub to ask all customers to leave at the end of the night. Whilst there is no strict company policy how this is done, we would certainly expect any requests of this nature to be made in a professional and courteous manner.
I understand that your friend was asked to leave, not due to the complaint he was making but due to the manner in which he remonstrated this to the manager. Following this the Manager was happy to allow another member of the party to remain with you as requested. I appreciate that you and your party feel this action was unjustified.
I am sorry that you and your group feel this issue was not dealt with satisfactorily at the time, your comments have been passed to the Area Manager who has performed a thorough investigation and the relevant action has been taken.
Once again, we have taken your comments seriously and I do hope you will not be deterred from visiting our pubs again.
Yours sincerely
Customer Services.
I spoke to the local licensing department on the phone (prior to receiving wetherspoon's response) who told me that they had all be horrified by the incident but did not think there was anything they could do. They informed me that the only way they can act to remove a license is if the holder is convicted of a criminal offence, and followed that up by suggesting both that I 'get a lawyer' and that I contact the police. This despite their assurances that they had already passed the matter over to the police department who deal with licenses and most importantly (according to them) the pub watch scheme. I've heard nothing from them since
I did contact the police licensing department, some two weeks ago. I'm still waiting for them to get back to me.
The irony of it all is of course had Wetherspoons simply written a standard letter of apology I would have accepted that (probably) not exactly having the desire to fight an unnecessary battle. However, all they've done with this letter is tell me they know they are in the wrong, and that they aren't willing to do anything about that. I'm not sure what the next step is.
I am writing further to my recent correspondence, I apologise for the delayed reply.
I am sorry to hear of your disappointment when visiting the [wetherspoons pub in question. Place name incorrect]. I would like to assure you that we do treat all customer feedback seriously and appreciate you writing to us.
All of our pubs must be empty at closing time to ensure compliance with the license restrictions. As part of this the staff members will circulate the pub to ask all customers to leave at the end of the night. Whilst there is no strict company policy how this is done, we would certainly expect any requests of this nature to be made in a professional and courteous manner.
I understand that your friend was asked to leave, not due to the complaint he was making but due to the manner in which he remonstrated this to the manager. Following this the Manager was happy to allow another member of the party to remain with you as requested. I appreciate that you and your party feel this action was unjustified.
I am sorry that you and your group feel this issue was not dealt with satisfactorily at the time, your comments have been passed to the Area Manager who has performed a thorough investigation and the relevant action has been taken.
Once again, we have taken your comments seriously and I do hope you will not be deterred from visiting our pubs again.
Yours sincerely
Customer Services.
I spoke to the local licensing department on the phone (prior to receiving wetherspoon's response) who told me that they had all be horrified by the incident but did not think there was anything they could do. They informed me that the only way they can act to remove a license is if the holder is convicted of a criminal offence, and followed that up by suggesting both that I 'get a lawyer' and that I contact the police. This despite their assurances that they had already passed the matter over to the police department who deal with licenses and most importantly (according to them) the pub watch scheme. I've heard nothing from them since
I did contact the police licensing department, some two weeks ago. I'm still waiting for them to get back to me.
The irony of it all is of course had Wetherspoons simply written a standard letter of apology I would have accepted that (probably) not exactly having the desire to fight an unnecessary battle. However, all they've done with this letter is tell me they know they are in the wrong, and that they aren't willing to do anything about that. I'm not sure what the next step is.
10 comments:
Bloody fob off. Typical. That isn't even an apology! And what action has been taken? Nothing! They couldn't even bother giving you a voucher?
Wow. That is a tricky situation. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
I'd love to know what that "relevant action" that they have taken might actually BE. Could be anything from a compulsory Disability Awareness course for all managers, to simply filing your letter in the shredder.
I think I would be inclined to reply to the letter saying you don't feel you have received a satisfactory reply and you will be contacting your lawyers to see how you stand re disability rights, which has not been mentioned once in their replies....good luck and I really wouldn't give up just yet.
Keep fighting..xx
Standard corporate bugger off letter I am afraid ... Talk to your local rag who always like this sort of story ....
Bendy
That letter is a joke - typical customer services jargon - but I would be worried that if you take the matter further, you will end up losing out and suffer further abuse in the process. Don't let them have that pleasure! You've made your point, and made it well and they know they're in the wrong. What happened that night was unacceptable but as the licensing department stated, it wasn't a criminal offence.
btw Thank you for visiting 'The Distant Rambler' and for leaving a comment for her. She is too ill at the moment to respond to much but I'm sure she will appreciate hearing messages from people who take the time to show they care.
http://thedistantrambler.blogspot.com/
Thanks, BG
Is it worth the effort to take this any further? There is the possibility that you will just be seen as whingeing because you were asked to leave the pub.
I think a letter or two to the local paper might be worthwhile..
But then again that manager was very nasty..
tricky.. bendy girl tricky..
cheers kim xx
Personally I'd reply as per Mary's suggestion, but copying the entire correspondence to the most vociferous of your local papers plus your local BBC and ITV stations... of course letting Wetherspoons know you're doing so...
I did this to a restaurant, (admittedly some 25 -30 years ago), after a similarly disgraceful episode, and not only got a gratis luxury meal for four out of it, but a permanent 33% discount, and the satisfaction of three staff dismissals ...
Oh god I've always been popular...
sorry, but for "as per Mary's suggestion" please read "as per Emma's suggestion"...
How frustrating for you.
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