A few weeks ago I rang Wentbridge House, near Pontefract, West Yorkshire, to book afternoon tea for an upcoming birthday surprise. A polite lady answered the phone and booked us in for 2.30pm on the afternoon of our choice.
During our conversation, I explained that two people in our party would require something else, because they did not want to have afternoon tea. The lady said that would be fine, and the conversation ended.
We arrived at Wentbridge house a couple of days later at 2pm, for 2.30, and we were duly ushered to a comfortable and very smart seating area where drinks were offered to us. We perused the drinks menu before ordering.
I noted that there were other people already sat in the waiting area who were also there for the afternoon tea.
As the head waiter and a couple of waitresses flitted around tending to the other guests drinks orders, I could not help but overhear the conversation of the other guests seated behind us, asking the waitress about the afternoon tea.
The lady guest mentioned that she had been there before for afternoon tea and on that previous occasion she was asked if she would prefer brown or white bread, with our without butter, and was also given the choice of various sandwich fillings.
The waitress explained that they used to offer those choices, but they were no longer available and that it was now a set menu. The lady guest then asked the waitress if they could have their sandwiches without butter. The waitress said that she would ask the kitchen not to put butter on their sandwiches.
That raised an interesting point for us because some of the people in our party also did not want butter on their sandwiches.
After a few minutes we were ushered through into the restaurant, which was furnished as one would expect of a large country house and had crisp white linen table clothes and napkins.
The head waiter brought the teapots, sugar bowl and milk jug to our table. I noted the lack of sugar tongs and a hot water jug to dilute the tea down with. After about ten minutes we had to eventually ask for a hot water jug, to dilute the tea down a little.
All the sugar lumps were individually wrapped in small plastic wrappings, which you had to fiddle with to get the sugar lump out.
There seemed to be much flurrying about with the staff and I had to literally flag the head waiter down to mention that two people in our party would not be having afternoon tea and would order something else from the menu. The waiter looked rather puzzled for a few seconds and announced that there was no other choice, but they could make a few sandwiches, if that was alright, so we were then in a take it or leave it situation, it was to be sandwiches or nothing, we said that that would be fine, but we did request that the sandwiches be made without butter.
When the sandwiches arrived they were made with butter, and had to be sent back to the kitchen.
The second delivery of sandwiches arrived and they were fine.
I did not say anything to anyone else in our party, because this was supposed to be a “special occasion” and I did not want to make any sort of fuss about the various things, but I did feel that this experience was not quite as good as it could have been. I did notice that the place was rather busy and there was a large function going on in another room.
Quite honestly, I felt deflated and at this point, and I wished that I had taken everyone to Betty's tearooms instead, where the service is second to none, it is slick, and the staff are so attentive, AND there are other options for people who do not necessarily want to have afternoon tea.
Our afternoon tea arrived on a three tier cake stand. The lower tier had a selection of sandwiches with three different fillings. The second tier had scones with two different varieties of jam and a small pot of clotted cream. The top tier had a selection of small patisseries and trifles.
All in all, I felt slightly underwhelmed with the whole experience. I personally felt that things were not as good as it should have been, and I have to say that the service did not quite meet the mark, in my opinion.
Atmosphere 6/10
Service 6/10
Food 6/10
Price 6/10
Would I return to Wentbridge house? Highly doubtful, especially with all the competition that there is now, and the excellent standards elsewhere.
During our conversation, I explained that two people in our party would require something else, because they did not want to have afternoon tea. The lady said that would be fine, and the conversation ended.
We arrived at Wentbridge house a couple of days later at 2pm, for 2.30, and we were duly ushered to a comfortable and very smart seating area where drinks were offered to us. We perused the drinks menu before ordering.
I noted that there were other people already sat in the waiting area who were also there for the afternoon tea.
As the head waiter and a couple of waitresses flitted around tending to the other guests drinks orders, I could not help but overhear the conversation of the other guests seated behind us, asking the waitress about the afternoon tea.
The lady guest mentioned that she had been there before for afternoon tea and on that previous occasion she was asked if she would prefer brown or white bread, with our without butter, and was also given the choice of various sandwich fillings.
The waitress explained that they used to offer those choices, but they were no longer available and that it was now a set menu. The lady guest then asked the waitress if they could have their sandwiches without butter. The waitress said that she would ask the kitchen not to put butter on their sandwiches.
That raised an interesting point for us because some of the people in our party also did not want butter on their sandwiches.
After a few minutes we were ushered through into the restaurant, which was furnished as one would expect of a large country house and had crisp white linen table clothes and napkins.
The head waiter brought the teapots, sugar bowl and milk jug to our table. I noted the lack of sugar tongs and a hot water jug to dilute the tea down with. After about ten minutes we had to eventually ask for a hot water jug, to dilute the tea down a little.
All the sugar lumps were individually wrapped in small plastic wrappings, which you had to fiddle with to get the sugar lump out.
There seemed to be much flurrying about with the staff and I had to literally flag the head waiter down to mention that two people in our party would not be having afternoon tea and would order something else from the menu. The waiter looked rather puzzled for a few seconds and announced that there was no other choice, but they could make a few sandwiches, if that was alright, so we were then in a take it or leave it situation, it was to be sandwiches or nothing, we said that that would be fine, but we did request that the sandwiches be made without butter.
When the sandwiches arrived they were made with butter, and had to be sent back to the kitchen.
The second delivery of sandwiches arrived and they were fine.
I did not say anything to anyone else in our party, because this was supposed to be a “special occasion” and I did not want to make any sort of fuss about the various things, but I did feel that this experience was not quite as good as it could have been. I did notice that the place was rather busy and there was a large function going on in another room.
Quite honestly, I felt deflated and at this point, and I wished that I had taken everyone to Betty's tearooms instead, where the service is second to none, it is slick, and the staff are so attentive, AND there are other options for people who do not necessarily want to have afternoon tea.
Our afternoon tea arrived on a three tier cake stand. The lower tier had a selection of sandwiches with three different fillings. The second tier had scones with two different varieties of jam and a small pot of clotted cream. The top tier had a selection of small patisseries and trifles.
All in all, I felt slightly underwhelmed with the whole experience. I personally felt that things were not as good as it should have been, and I have to say that the service did not quite meet the mark, in my opinion.
Atmosphere 6/10
Service 6/10
Food 6/10
Price 6/10
Would I return to Wentbridge house? Highly doubtful, especially with all the competition that there is now, and the excellent standards elsewhere.