Central Hotel

[wifie]

id say its in the title of this section

"Recommendations Found something good, let everyone know about it."

sorry cant really see where it says found something bad or something your unhappy about, let everyone know about it?

you could also look at it as those places with no recomendations surely are not worth the visit?

Very true buggyracer but as much as there are people who will stir if they have a grievance against someone or an establishment there are also those who will say somewhere or something is great because they too have an ulterior motive! Works both ways! I don't know the statistic but people are far more likely to tell people if something is wrong than they are if something is good! It seems proven here! I must admit that now I will complain face to face or vote with my feet and my wallet but I would (and have) recommended good things on here!

[mums angels]

we complained to the bar staff working the last time we went in about the safety of the bouncy castle , we wouldnt allow our son on it as it had a gapping hole in the side and when too many children were on it it started to go down with small children still inside it , we got a dirty look and were told it was safe enough and that they had no plans to get a new one ... we havn't been back since

Most establishements don't deal with complaints well IMO... hubby once complained at bowling alley about no changing facilities for our baby in the mens ,the only one they had was in the womens .. he was not so politley told "do you know how much those things cost...£100. hubby even offered to pay them then and there to provide one for next visit.. they asked him to leave. NICE

[*Martin*]

I must say that although I am not a fan of the new menu (damn I miss club sandwiches/paninis) and I also think the place needs revamped the staff in the central have never been short off 100% when ever I've been in!!!

[poopdoggydogg]

I'm a Top Joes regular and a lot of the complaints about the menu are valid. The owners brought in a chef to re-vamp the menu but he clearly misjudged the Central's customer base. A lot of the issues raised here have been voiced by the bar regulars so the owners have been aware of the problems. As of last week the menu has been returned to more of a 'pub grub' style (with some prices reduced) and most think this is a big improvement. (And yes, club sandwiches, paninis, BLTs etc, have returned.) On the point of the staff, i can't comment on the upstairs - too old for the Central bar now! - but in TJs have, with few exceptions, always found the staff to be very friendly, efficient and happy to deal (positively) with complaints.

[mulac]

The last time I was in was over a year ago with the wee one for the castle and the food was bad then I complained to the lad in the bar and he didnt charge me for any of it! The boy that was working was excellent!
I would recommend the Weigh Inn, food is excellent staff very friendly and in the summer theres an excellent wee play park for the kids

[Ash]

i went to the weigh inn with my inlaws, had soup it was lovely but the bread my sandwhich came on was awful and the tuna was bland
dont think id go back

[windswept]

each to there own bob, personly i think if you havent anything nice to say it better not to say anything at all, 99% of posters who complain never say a word to owners/managemant at the time yet freely come on here to abuse this section, personly i think its terrible a community website allows such a thing!! whos to say the poster doesnt have a personal greivance with the establishment outwith the level of service they got and just comes on here to badmouth it in the hope it spoils there business, you can say what you like its open to abuse.

for a community website to allow such a thing, imo is bad taste

if i have a problem with a meal or such like i take it up with the managemant at the time.

I dont disagree with the 'cant say anything nice' train of thought however it isnt always appropriate. I had occasion to draw to the attention of a publican - Not the one on this thread - that a fire exit had been bolted closed. I was basically told to **** off. Under those circumstances would I have been acting in bad taste to bring such info to the forum? Would I do face to face complaint with the person again? Probably not.

Forum by its nature is open to abuse but we have to trust 'the powers that be' ensure posts of a malicious/libelous (?spelling) are removed so not to cause offence.
Just to prove we are not always complaining I would recommend the School House in John Ogroats for food and the service in the Holburn last weekend was very good. (and would point out that I am in no way connected to either establishment other than being a paying customer.)

[Kenneth]

I am member of the Central Hotel Staff. Have to say I am quite surprised at some of the comments. Obviously not at how run down the place is lol, it really could do with doing up!!! Totally agree with that. I was surprised however to see that some of the staff were seen as flippant. To be honest I dont work lunchtimes anymore, but when I was there everyone who worked there was amiable and polite, even when it was busy.

They have changed their menu, which is a shame, as I thought the menu was something a bit more different and to be honest looked and tasted a lot better than processed chicken nuggets and panninis. But understandbly I think people wanted a quick meal for as cheap as they could get.

My word does that place need a doing up though!

[Jeid]

I'm in agreement with buggyracer on this one. I was once a member of staff in the Central. I have to say, with the amount of people who came in, looked at the menus and said "this is crap" perhaps we should have a right to complain about customers. People were quick to write things off without trying them.

"oh the menu isn't the same as the old one" - uh huh? And? It's typical Caithness.

In all honesty, the place badly needs done up, I couldn't tell you the last time I was in the Central for a drink or food. I quite happily sit in Top Joes though.

I think for the most part, people wouldn't have had a problem paying the prices if the place was decent looking. The Central needed a wow factor and it never came, the menu did, but the decor didn't. It's been sad seeing the place go down the tubes. There's hope for it though, just needs some work. I feel for the staff as they are embarrassed about the state of the place.

As for chamb who claimed that they didn't have a personal grievance against the Cardosi's, has seemingly contradicted themselves.

how can it be a personal grivance...

The thing is when you complain in the central, or any other establishment belonging to the cardosi family, you get blanked and nothing is ever done, because they think they are above the law

A chip on your shoulder perhaps?

I know this statement is not true. Scott, who works there pretty much everyday, works hard and has been trying to make a difference in the place. He's working on it, it's not an easy task.

For the record, did you complain at the time?

It's easy to sit and slag people off behind a computer screen, being anonymous is great isn't it? In all the time I worked for the Cardosi's, I found them to be good people. I got on with them all and I still pop in to see them when I can.

[Ash]

i agree with u jeid about scott, whenever ive gone in he is extremely helpful, he does everything he can to help, i once put food back as wasnt happy and i got my meal replaced with something else at no charge.... i feel the staff are more than helpful... some more than others

[mama2]

The thing is when you complain in the central, or any other establishment belonging to the cardosi family, you get blanked and nothing is ever done, because they think they are above the law, its the same with skins, they are more than breaking the law in that place but yet the police stand back and do nothing.

They let too many people in for the fire regs, the drink spiking all seems to happen in there need go on.

Do you know what fire regs are?
How many people are they able to hold in skinandis without breaking the law?
How many people have had their drinks spiked in skinandis?
How do you know they have had their drink spiked in skinandis and not another bar?
The amount of folk I've heard going about shouting they have had their drink spiked when in actual fact they have just drunk far too much, gotten pi**ed and made a of themselves like most folk do from time to time.

If you have complained to the Cardosi family and they do nothing about your complaint perhaps the best thing you could do is just not bother going into Cental, Top Joes, Cafe Cardosi, Skinandis or the shop in Princes St.

[thickrodney]

i was in yesterday luchtime.
My 2 children ate all their lunchand i enjoyed mine too.
Service was good, but the place could do with a touch up.


goodvalue.

[crashbandicoot1979]

Haven't eaten in the central for years but thats because I think its more a family orientated place and I prefer top joes where there isn't children running around! Last time I was in the central though, it was in dire need of being done up so must be even worse by now!

Can't say I've had a problem with the food or the service in top joes. I did prefer the old menu, but theres plenty I like on the new one so its no hassle. The food is always good, and service is quick. The bar staff and waiting staff have always been pleasant and approachable and on the only occasion I did have to send something back they were very apologetic.

I never go to Skinandis nowadays as I'm more of a pub person but I have my doubts that as many people get their drinks spiked as is claimed. As mama2 says, its more than likely folk who have drank too much then wanted to blame someone else for their daft behaviour.

As far as food, service and decor goes, I would highly recommend top joes.

[edayhouse]

well i was in with the kids last week and i have got to say that the staff were good - maybe a bit short staffed over the lunchtime rush but that was about it.....the food was nice too.

The place itself is a mess - the bouncy castle is a disgrace but to be honest my kids dont notice the stains on the walls/carpets etc or the mess of the bouncy castle they just have a great time when i take them there and thats what counts!!

i agree some money def needs to be spent though

[ShelleyCowie]

well i was in with the kids last week and i have got to say that the staff were good - maybe a bit short staffed over the lunchtime rush but that was about it.....the food was nice too.

The place itself is a mess - the bouncy castle is a disgrace but to be honest my kids dont notice the stains on the walls/carpets etc or the mess of the bouncy castle they just have a great time when i take them there and thats what counts!!

i agree some money def needs to be spent though

I agree that the bouncy castle is in dire need of attention! I remember playing on that!!

And the rest of the place really does need some money spent. But it is not as if we can go in and tell them to do it up anyway.

[Bazeye]

chamb, im not particulary meaning this example, im talking about this section in general, there seems to be more complaints than reccomendations?

people are all too quick to come on here an complain yet say nothing to the staff who serve them?

Why not have a Grievances/Complaints section on The Org then, as well as a Recommendations, or are there too many legal issues?

[ks]

We were in one evening last week and the food was excellent (macaroni cheese) and the service very good, the decor could do with an update but as a previous poster said the kids don't notice as long as the castle is inflated!

[openminder]

Well i went for lunch with ma 2 Friends last week, and the menu is back to normal and we really enjoyed it, great choice like before and service wos quick as expected,, never knock it til u try again,

[viking]

I just can't believe what's being written here. I don't frequent these establishments much but can vouch for the Cardosi family being decent folk and very fair employers. Just look at the staff - low turnover, the same people have been there for years. That speaks volumes.

I know they had problems recruiting cleaners for Skinandi's recently. Let's face it who wants to spend their working day mopping up vomit, blood, glass and other revolting stuff left behind by drunk customers. Why would you bother spending money trying to keep the place nice?
As for spiked drinks and locked fire exits there are very strict inspections of premises. This thread is ridiculous.

As far as The Central is concerned I know some children (not all of course) are left unsupervised by parents and run wild in the toilets, stairwell, bouncy castle area then blame the place when they get a bump.

Take responsibility. I don't think a pub environment is particularly good for young children anyway.

[Dog-eared]

Waited half an hour for a cheese toastie in Top Joes.