Manchester restaurateur Gary Usher puts negative reviewer in their place
In a review called: "Excellent food let down by Ryanair-style management," reviewer Rob V wrote: “The good news is that the food here is very, very tasty and deserves a high rating.
It’s been a tough year or two for hospitality staff and restaurant owners across the country.
Closures and lack of foot flow rendered the restaurant industry a desolate place for many months, but with the recent re-openings and return of customers, many businesses have been able to breathe again.
However, with customers comes feedback, and regardless of how long hospitality staff have had to wait to serve their customers and provide them with a service they’ve been without for a long time, negative feedback is certainly back on the menu.
It goes without saying that pubs, clubs, bars and restaurants are stretched at the minute. Lay offs were inevitable during COVID and many of them are understaffed while simultaneously having to deal with a little ring rust after being out of the game for so long.
While we are unsure if this is the case or not at Sticky Walnut in Chester, the team at the award-winning bistro had to deal with some pretty harsh criticism last week – criticism that owner Gary Usher was not going to take on the chin without a counter punch.
Gary Usher outside Pinion in Prescot // Image by Natural Selection Design
In a review called: “Excellent food let down by Ryanair-style management,” reviewer Rob V wrote: “The good news is that the food here is very, very tasty and deserves a high rating.
“The bad news is that the restaurant management doesn’t give a toss about customer experience. I ate here on July 9 had a complaint that was dealt with badly enough by the manager that I wrote to the owner.
“A restaurant that aspires to offer fine dining experience but has lost the ability to empathise with customers and ignores them when they complain? That really is a shame.”
Gary, who has a solid reputation across the northwest and is the owner of five other restaurants under his Elite Bistros brand, didn’t hold back in his response.
He wrote: “For goodness sake Robert. I’m supposed to be in TwitAdvisor retirement so let’s not waste any time. After all, you’ve waited 11 years since joining Twitadvisor to write your first review.
“Rob, you reserved a table on a Friday evening and agreed to a 1 hour 45 minute time slot. A standard practice, particularly on busy periods, that guests and restaurants worldwide agree to.
“After your dessert course, the manager, who you said ‘doesn’t give a toss’, gently reminded you that we would need the table back shortly.
“You ignored the manager and proceeded to order another round of drinks. Perhaps if your party had arrived on time for your reservation this could have been avoided.
“When the manager came back a final time to politely let you know we needed to clear the table for our next guests you got up out of your seat, towering over the manager, pointing in their face.
“The manager’s response was: ‘Sir, please can you stop pointing in my face?’
Gary added: “You proceeded to tell the manager that they didn’t deserve to be a manager and weren’t qualified to be in the position.
“Your mother then joined in by adding to the vitriol being directed towards the manager.
“That’s when both you and your mother showed your true colours with the classic: ‘We’ve both worked in restaurants so we know how it works. We should be getting these drinks for free.’
“You, Rob, then threatened the manager by telling them that you would be contacting the owner because you know him, and that Gary, (me) would be appalled to know how you, ‘my friend,’ had been treated.
Kala on King Street in Manchester is part of Gary’s Elite Bistros family // Elite Bistros
“The manager politely pleaded with your whole table to just listen whilst they explained. No one did.
“In a strange turn of events you emailed me, your ‘friend’ at Sticky Walnut’s email address. You must have lost my number Rob! Not surprisingly, to either me or the manager, you and I don’t know each other Rob.
“Every few months in a restaurant a rude guest will use the ‘I know the owner!’ line to try and intimidate team members and bully them into thinking that they will get into trouble because they didn’t look after the owner’s ‘friends’ well enough.
“I did read your email. I did ‘give a toss,’ but not about you Rob, but about the way you treated the team. So instead of replying to you, we chose to block your number, and your mum’s, and put a note on our booking system to not accept any future bookings from you.
“With regards to the manager who ‘doesn’t give a toss,’ they have managed Sticky Walnut for the last eight years.
“Coincidentally the same length of time that Sticky Walnut has achieved a top 100 position in the National Restaurant Awards in the UK. I think that makes them both extremely deserving to be the manager and absolutely qualified to hold that position.
“Regards, Not your mate, Gary.
“Another owner you don’t actually know.”
Savage. If you’re interested in visiting any of Gary’s restaurants, check out the Elite Bistros website where you can reserve a place at all six – we highly recommend Kala in Manchester city centre.
News
First look at Chester Zoo’s new luxury safari-style lodges where you can sleep amongst the animals
Emily Sergeant
The first look at Chester Zoo’s new luxury safari-style resort has been released to the public, and it looks stunning.
In case you missed it, artist impression images of the highly anticipated wildlife lodge experience at Chester Zoo, called The Reserve, were unveiled earlier this year ahead of its grand opening to the public this month following several years in the works… but now opening day is right around the corner, the first official images have been shared.
The Reserve at Chester Zoo features 51 beautifully-designed lodges, with some overlooking a private savannah where giraffes, zebras, and blesbok antelope roam free, while others are nestled beside a peaceful lake.
Guests can choose from a variety of different lodges to stay in, available for up to nine people.
The lodges have been crafted using natural and sustainable materials, with the décor being inspired by landscapes in Africa, and it’s already being described as ‘the ultimate African safari experience right here in the UK’.
Combining luxurious accommodation with exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the zoo’s world-renowned wildlife, Chester Zoo says the new resort is set to transform how travellers experience conservation in the UK.
Those behind the project say the innovative concept – where every stay directly-funds the protection of threatened species globally – will help to strengthen the zoo’s role as ‘one of the country’s most loved and most impactful conservation charities’.
Chester Zoo has given the first look at its new luxury safari-style lodges / Credit: Chester Zoo
“The Reserve at Chester Zoo is a game-changer, not just for luxury travel but for conservation,” commented Jamie Christon, who is the CEO at Chester Zoo.
“Born from our long-standing commitment to protecting African wildlife, we’ve created a truly immersive, safari-style experience right here in the UK, where guests may wake up to giraffes on their doorstep, enjoy unforgettable wildlife encounters and relax in beautifully designed lodges surrounded by nature.
“But what makes The Reserve truly unique is its purpose.
“Guests at The Reserve aren’t just going to enjoy a luxury break – they’re going to power our conservation movement for generations to come.”
Stays at the resort are now available to book online / Credit: Chester Zoo
In the off-season, prices for the lodges start from £375, while one-night stays in summer start from £672.50.
And then in peak season, for the more luxurious lodges, prices can go all the way up to £2,486, but it is worth noting, however, that this does include guided safari tours and going behind the scenes with the giraffes.
Find out more and book your stay at The Reserve when it finally opens to the public on Monday 18 August on the Chester Zoo website here.
Featured Image – Chester Zoo
News
The Spirit of Manchester confirms bar closure as Manc hospitality takes another hit
Danny Jones
Manchester has been hit by yet another gutting hospitality closure as The Bar at The Spirit of Manchester Distillery, formerly known as Three Little Words, has confirmed they have shut down effective immediately.
The stunning spot set up as The Spirit of Manchester Distillery’s dedicated, customer-facing city centre venue and second home under the arches, opened back in 2019, offering a cocktail, gin-making and tasting experience, as well as a restaurant.
But fast forward six years, and now the once-beloved Three Little Words bar has sadly closed, largely citing the same economic pressures everyone has faced post-pandemic.
Writing an emotional farewell post on LinkedIn, Spirit of Manchester co-founder and master distiller Seb Heeley said: “This is a post I never thought I’d have to write. 9 years ago, we set out with a dream to build something that would represent the spirit of Manchester from the humble beginning in our dining room.
“We were fortunate enough that people embraced our vision, and 6 years ago we embarked on an over million pound project to bring 6 forgotten, abandoned arches beneath the iconic Manchester Central back to life to show the best the city has to offer.
“Unfortunately, COVID changed the playing field 5 years ago, and over the last 2 years, running a city centre hospitality business, we have been hit with a perfect storm of rising costs, taxes and pressure on customer wallets that has ultimately led to an unsustainable business model.
“It is with the heaviest of hearts that we have to close our customer-facing operation on Watson Street today. It’s the amazing team that I feel most sorry for, as it’s their commitment over the last 6 years that has made this building feel like our forever home.”
Having also housed local culinary offerings like Etana, too, it’s sad to see such an eye-catching part of the city’s dining scene fall foul to the ongoing industry pressures and cost of living crisis.
Heeley goes on to add: “If anyone on my network is looking for new recruits, I couldn’t speak highly enough of our whole team. Please get in touch with me about any opening you may have.”
Even if you’ve never been, you’ll have passed a bottle of Manchester Gin countless times. (Credit: The Manc Eats)
Heeley signs off by saying: “While this is the end for our experience centre site, Manchester Gin will continue to be made in the city and hopefully enjoyed for years to come.
“Obviously, this is a difficult time for all of us, so please bear with us while we go through this transition. Thank you.” Online orders have also been briefly paused as they look to lay out clearer plans for the future, and we can only hope they come through the other side more stable.
In what has been a heartbreaking start to the week, this marks the third high-profile food and drink casualty in central Manchester alone in the space of just the last two days, with the news of Salvi’s shutting their Deansgate Square location being followed up by another NQ closure barely hours later.
Safe to say it’s more apparent than ever that our hospitality sector needs better support and fast.
The Manc -
23rd August 2021 
