PATHETIC MANAGEMENT IN THE CAMBRIDGE ARMS, REDLAND
This used to be such a great, welcoming pub. Under new Management it's fallen to pieces. The so called "Manager" clearly has no experience in handling conflict or complaints. He did not speak to both parties involved in an altercation and made an incorrect decision telling the wrong party to leave, without first obtaining all the facts. In fact he did not even show his face or query exactly what happened. He did not speak to me but spoke to a third party to pass on his decision. I have been a regular at this pub for over 20 years and have seen new landlords and management come and go and have always been supportive to the changes. Handling conflict or disputes is all part of Management and the way in which he handled it today was a total farce and UTTERLY laughable. Clearly he has no idea how to run a pub and deal with all situations that arise professionally. He lost out on what would have been well over a £45 purchase to allow two youngsters to remain drinking their cokes - great business decision made too, NOT! What a joke, The brewery need to get an experienced, professional acting Manager in place, and one that doesn't make wrong decisions, loses the Brewery money, and most importantly knows how to diffuse conflict correctly. He is not friendly, constantly has a miserable, sour face, does not engage with customers at all. When I have been there on a busy Sunday lunch time, meals were late and incorrect orders coming out, again he did not handle that situation well at all. Totally overwhelmed and like a bumbling idiot. Either get trained to do your job properly or change industries. Preferably the latter!
UPDATE:-
After such a delightful, professional and articulate response from Joe, the so called Manager (although his response does leave you wondering)! Clearly missing the point of a poor review, his response was littered with smugness and personal insults, in fact any of the poor reviews he has had he either chooses to ignore or responds defensively and bypassing the facts.
Dear Joe,
Let me clarify a few points, since your defensive and unprofessional response conveniently bypassed the facts.
My review was not written to get anyone "sacked" or to secure a voucher—it was to highlight the poor handling of a situation that could have been easily resolved with a basic level of communication and fairness.
Your staff member did not speak to either party involved. If he had, he would have known that an immediate apology was made when my young dog—who was on a lead—momentarily broke free in excitement and jumped up to say hello. That was the extent of the incident. What followed, however, was the man in question continuing to intimidate us with glares, eye-rolling, and vile gestures, after the apology. He persisted in trying to provoke a reaction by claiming the dog should be under control, despite having already been told it was an accident.
That provocation is what led to the response he received—not because we were looking for conflict, but because we were being openly goaded after attempting to de-escalate. Your staff member chose to ignore this entirely, opting instead to remove us without investigating. That is what my review addressed.
Instead of showing any accountability, your own response was littered with smugness and personal insults. Frankly, it reflects worse on you than on the situation itself. If anything, it explains exactly why your staff handled it as poorly as they did.
After more than 20 years as a regular at The Cambridge without a single issue, your suggestion that I’m the “common denominator” is not only laughable but insulting. The problem here isn't me—it’s how your team chooses to manage situations with bias and zero due diligence.
You may claim to run a “welcoming” pub, but the tone and content of your reply show the opposite. Perhaps it’s you who needs to brush up on conflict resolution and complaint handling.
Regards,