Bbq Pizza
Bella Italia

Bella Italia

Center Parcs Longleat Forest, Longleat Forest, Warminster, United Kingdom

Soup • Fish • Coffee • Italian


"My daughter, who is just a few months shy of turning 17, requested an alcoholic drink with her meal. As someone with a personal license who has completed all the necessary training, I knew this was perfectly legal and was fine with her request. She rarely drinks alcohol, but being on holiday, she was curious to try something new. Unfortunately, when she went to order, she was refused service. The staff explained that, despite the legality, Bella Italia has chosen not to allow this under their licensing policy. That’s fair enough; it’s their choice. She was perfectly content to order a soft drink instead. Later, my mum ordered a cocktail and mentioned that my daughter could have a sip. She tried a small taste, and I didn’t think much of it—it was just a little bit, and everyone was happy. We were enjoying the evening with good food and great company when the waitress came back to see if we wanted another drink. My mum requested another cocktail, but the waitress informed us that the manager had been watching and knew my daughter had taken a sip, so they might refuse the order. I explained that it was legal for her to have a small amount with a meal, but the waitress insisted it wasn't their policy. I reassured her that we were responsible adults who wouldn't allow my daughter to drink excessively. Despite this, no drink ever arrived for my mum, and no one returned to our table to clarify or kindly ask us to refrain from allowing my daughter any more sips if we were to order again. This left us feeling as if we had done something very wrong, almost like we were being reprimanded. In our opinion, the situation could have been managed much better. The manager, Adam, never came over to discuss his decision or clarify the policy; if he had, we would have gladly acknowledged our oversight and moved on. Instead, we felt quite poorly treated, almost with a sense of contempt. If my daughter had been consuming a significant amount of alcohol, I would understand the concern, but the small taste she had was hardly an issue. Overall, I felt their reaction was excessive and it ultimately spoiled our night. It was unnecessary for the manager to stand there monitoring us in such a way, which made us uncomfortable. We experienced very poor customer service, and the restrictive policy seemed unwarranted. A little communication could have resolved the matter without making us feel so terrible. Sadly, we will not be choosing to dine here again during our time at Center Parcs."

Pizza Express

Pizza Express

East Midlands Designer Outlet Mansfield Road, South Normanton I-DE55 2JW, United Kingdom

Cafés • Pizza • Vegan • Vegetarian


"After that, we waited for our table to be cleaned and were eventually seated. However, we waited 20 minutes for a menu with no sign of anyone assisting us, so we had to go get our own menus from the front near the entrance. After another 15 minutes of waiting without anyone coming to take our order, even for drinks, we had to ask for table service ourselves. If we hadn't done that, it would have taken an additional hour to be served. **Second RED FLAG.** When we finally placed our order, the same manager had the worst attitude and seemed uninterested. She then asked a waiter to take our order without even acknowledging us. At this point, we had been sitting here for over 45 minutes. **Third RED FLAG.** The most concerning aspect was that I felt we were treated differently as a mixed couple. Several groups who arrived after us were seated and served before us, even though we could clearly hear them being welcomed at the front door. My wife was ready to leave, but since we hadn’t eaten and our kids were hungry, we decided to stay, thinking it would take longer to find another restaurant. We’ve dined at many Pizza Express locations, and this one is by far the worst we've encountered. The food was consistent with what we expected, and when our orders did arrive, they came in a reasonable time. However, the water we ordered never arrived, despite our follow-up request. By the time our desserts came, my youngest had already fallen asleep from the wait. Based on today’s experience, I cannot recommend the Pizza Express at the East Midlands Designer Outlet. A message for the manager (the one with dark hair): If you can’t provide excellent customer service consistently, perhaps this isn’t the job for you. If you're having a bad day, it might be better to take a break or the day off. Be professional. Unfortunately, it only takes one negative experience to leave a bad impression, and the restaurant wasn’t even busy at the time."