Lovely place, garden centre and more ! Side outlets include aquatic centre (indoor and outdoor) very good butchers shop mobility centre etc.! Toilets very clean and looked after. Restaurant meals very very good. So much so, need to book for 'table cloth area' or avoid peak times!!
In general, this place is less of a garden centre and more of a wildly overpriced bric-a-brac shop. A vast array of poor quality and overpriced tat. The pet section is thankfully free of actual animals as we had noticed (historically) how uninformed and clueless the staff were as they looked after the sickly and disheveled animals.Unfortunately they really only cater for cats and dogs. There is essentially no bird section, with what little stock there is being overpriced and basic. The small animal shelf is eternally sold out of the only non-irritating bedding litter. The last 3 visits over the last 3 months were sold out, despite the label on the shelf and a big gap. Very unimpressed.The 2 stars are for the restaurant as it serves a decent coffee and reasonable cake. Again, ridiculously expensive.Yes I am aware Dobbies caters primarily for affluent retirees.
Dreadful customer service I have just had the most awful experience when returning an expensive plant riddled with vine weevil. If you do need to complain I hope you are not forced to deal with this woman, Her boss has just completely ignored my emailed complaint copied below and I gather from reading other reviews that is standard practice. This expensive place has changed and not for the better. I have been a customer at this store since 1996 long before it was Dobbies, something I have always enjoyed, but had the most awful treatment this afternoon.I have never felt the need to return a plant before but did on this occasion because it was expensive, failed to thrive and when getting it ready for return today, noted the reason, it was infected with vine weevil grubs. Given the length of time since purchase I did not have a receipt but the plant still had its label on and I recalled it cost about 36. The pleasant male on the till who my son and I know from our frequent visits quickly found it on the till priced at 34.99. I did not envisage any problems in getting a refund in the circumstances but was told I must have a gift card. I confirmed I wanted a refund and so your assistant manager was called. At first she offered me some bizarre plan to give me half back now and then when I had emailed her further proof of purchase I would get the rest. She said she needed the pot the plant came in. I pointed out we have a very large garden and probably hundreds of pots. She then stated she would need a bank statement. I pointed out that on almost every occasion we buy plants the bill comes to considerably more than 35, which bank statement would she like me to choose? I also said she could just check our purchases from our Dobbies Card. She continued to argue how do I know you even purchased it from here (which was just absurd), well do you have vine weevil in your garden? What compost did you use I pointed out it was a fresh bag. She continued well under our plant guarantee scheme you have to provide the receipt. I pointed out I was not claiming under that I was claiming under Sale of Goods Act and I do not need to produce a receipt just proof purchase which I had clearly done. She continued to rant on at me and when I asked her to just shut up and give me my money back, that I was feeling cold and unwell she got even more high handed, rude and argumentative, do not speak to me like that, you can leave now making it plain she was no longer offering anything at all. I went across the store at this point to fetch my son and his mobile phone. Came back and took a couple of pictures of her. She then went and spoke to my son saying she would not speak to me again and after some further demands for the plant pot etc finally stated she would refund on the plant. By this stage I had been stuck there for about 45 minutes getting very cold and upset in my wheel chair right by the draughty door. I have heart and lung failure and she would have noted the oxygen tube in my nose. My son says as a final parting shot she stated we are both barred from the store. My son and I regularly enjoy coffee cake etc and a wander around and I am just astounded by her behaviour and the lengths I had to go to get a refund on a plant that was visibly weak without troubling to look at the roots. I do not know her name and so attach copies of the photos I took of her. It was the most awful experience simply trying to establish my statutory rights and at the very least I would like an explanation and apology please.
A truly Superb garden center with amazing products and displays but the cafe is truly shambolic in its operation. No clean trays to carry food to tables. Staff standing around chatting around the table clearing station - not clearing the tables. Huge queues near the checkout. It's such a shame because I loved walking around the garden center. If you are thinking of grabbing a bite to eat whilst visiting I'd recommend trying a quiet time because when it's busy you can forget any sort of service or efficiency.
A few weeks ago myself and my family attended the cafe and to be fair it was not quite up to standards. HOWEVERI have been back today with my family to have afternoon tea, and I have to say what a lovely experience. The staff were very helpful and friendly (as always). The cafe was clean and tidy. My parents are elderly and we were seated immediately, no standing around.The afternoon tea was scrumptious and we will definitely be back again to have another afternoon tea at a later date, WOW.I would recommend the afternoon tea.
Dobbies Garden Centre Atherstone is a UK Furniture Store based in Atherstone, West Midlands. Dobbies Garden Centre Atherstone is located at Cross Lane Farm, Nuneaton Rd, Atherstone CV9 1RF, UK.
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