Sandown Cliffs Cookhouse & Pub has been forced to close online bookings due to major problems with equipment and mechanics in the restaurant, with blame put on ‘extortionate ferry fees’ for the delay in resolving the issues.
In a statement on social media, the firm said:
“Unfortunately due to severe issues with equipment & mechanics in the restaurant, and being on our secluded little Island with extortionate ferry fees, until our issues are fixed, we are having to hugely limit the amount of customers we can have in the restaurant.”
Article continues below this advertisement “We’re hoping and praying this is resolved no later than the 20th July, however, until then, all online bookings have been turned off. We can still try and take bookings over the phone if we can, and will try and take as many walk ins as we can but will be very limited until the above date.”
It comes less than a week after they opened a small outside area with an extra 2 tables available for al fresco dining and ahead of the busiest time of the year for the business with school holidays starting on Friday.
While clearly disappointing for the business, they were keen to express their gratitude for the patience and loyalty of customers.
“We truly value and appreciate your understanding and support.”
Unfortunately due to severe issues with equipment & mechanics in the restaurant, and being on our secluded little Island with extortionate ferry fees
so, blaming the tools and blaming the ferries – I smell incompetence here.
Something has to be done with ferry costs, how is it that at different times of day a return ticket can be ,£65 then other time same crossing is over £350 . Same boat,same distance, same crew level. That’s per car carry 100 car’s that’s an extra £28,500 in one crossing!.
I mean… it’s a private company so they can charge whatever they want however they want. They can even base it on the phase of the moon if they wish so.
Worst case they will have no customers… except people still need to go to mainland so tough luck, just a few private basically have a monopoly on islanders’ basic mobility with no publicly funded alternative.
Pretty weird it was allowed in the first place. This should be 100% public transport.
You got it that’s why..
bit odd has just worked fine for me via their website
Ok, I’m struggling to see a correlation between ‘equipment & mechanics in the restaurant’ and the price that the ferry companies charge?
How on earth does the cost of travelling across the Solent affect the number of customers they can serve or whether they can take bookings by telephone or online?
I have double glazing installed by a well known national company. It is under warranty.
When one of our windows wouldn’t close properly we called to get it fixed.
Four weeks to get someone over here because they only come to the Island when they have enough work to make it worth the ferry fare.
I would imagine they have a similar problem with getting someone to fix their catering equipment.
Did they cite the same delays and excuses when taking your custom to install it?? Or was that suffice a money grab to warrant the trip then?
Sounds like nonsense to me. The trades from mainland will always add on the cost of the ferry to your bill.
This sounds like a huge company (Whitbreads) trying to blame someone else for their incompetence. A secluded little Island?? There are dozens of ferry crossings each day. I’m sure a multi million pound organisation can afford the fare.
Same as buying on line. Some do not deliver to the IOW, some add extra shipping, yet others send it at normal postage. Amazing really, obviously some people think we are out by the Azores.
Yesterday I attended an online meeting with the NHS and my local council (not the IW Council). It was mentioned that I am originally from the Island. A ‘top dog’ from my local council ignorantly asked, “What language do people from the Isle of Wight speak?”.
At first, I thought it was a joke; then I realised he was serious. This ‘Councillor’ thought the Isle of Wight had an independent Government, taxes, employment rights, and language. Oh, and this ‘Councillor’ is paid over £140,000. How dim, eh!
I’ve made many attempts to ship goods to the Island through channels, such as eBay, and found the Vendor won’t ship to the Island as they think it is in the Azores. One Vendor wanted to charge me additional VAT too.
This is because idiots see IW and assume Channel Islands and therefore airfreight regulations and postage. These are different to road and sea freight. Not true however you put it to the vendor they point at what they will be charged. Central Government needs to point it out to relevant ignorant authority.
That’s because the thicko Ebay sellers don’t set up their shipping accounts correctly. Most couriers ship to the IOW at no extra cost. Royal Mail ship to any UK address at no extra cost. When I see an Ebay seller saying ‘don’t ship to the IOW ‘ I send them a rude message telling them to set up their shipping options correctly.
or go to next listing that doe’s so they miss out out on a sell.
Maybe the ferry companies are nicking there mechanics to fix there boats….
Whilst ferry costs are extremely high, what on earth has that got to do with a failed restaurant booking system?
Good point just blame gain for a business going down the hill
It’s to do with people turning up late for their booked time and creating a deluge of people turning up at the same time when some are late…..
Poor excuse for their own incompetance….Why don’t they say exactly what the problem is instead of some bullsh** waffle about ferry company prices….
What a joke , blaming ferries…locals can fix aswell
Alot of stuff is contracted so if mainland then they have there own alotted fixxers.
Pretty simple really. If you buy equipment that isn’t made or served on the island. You may need someone from the mainland to come over, order parts and fix it.
Surely doesn’t take Einstein to work out it costs more…
And ate there Tues and was reliably informed by one of the female waitresses that the thing that is broken is the dishwasher , and they even have 2 k.ps to do this job and as for the manager that runs it , he is a very rude young man
Just an excuse for a easier summer for the hotel and staff I think