The Gumstool Inn

Not as good as sounds. Staff didn't seem to care. Asked for seat with light - instead stuck in dark corner despite second request to move; tables by window stayed the empty whole time we were there - 2 hrs, left after 2.30. Failure after failure - No menu given, had to go & find one; water requested, waitress forgot, had to ask again; Coffee/ tea order taken, had to go up to bar ten minutes later as staff so busy chatting with backs to us that waiter had forgotten to put the order through; Meal: calves liver "ok", but I was not asked how I like it cooked. It arrived a rather overdone and dry. I ate it as at that stage I didn't realise how bad the rest of the service would be. Next failure - the tea for one person arrived with enough Earl Grey loose tea for ten people- I could stand a fork in the tea leaves they were so deep and took a picture of this. Staff were not trained in serving loose tea. I spoke to waiter at end about all of this and was offered money off the tea. Declined as gesture of good will asking for comments to be passed on to help the staff. I would have left it at that and not posted publically except that I felt very upset because as I left the waiter was explaining my comments to a member of staff in a different outfit (manager?). He was talking in the most disrespectful manner about me. Saying that she said the liver was dry - "which it probably was" [his words], but she ate it anyway so what's the problem! Ha, he shrugged and rolled his eyes and walked off right past me. I was standing right by him and he knew it. Perhaps I was being too polite in not sending it back but I thought at least my comments would be taken in good spirit and passed on to help the establishment not mocked. I regret not accepting the tea refund and not sending the food back and for not making more fuss overall. Perhaps being unpleasant is the only way to get respect. Disappointing to be spoken about so disrespectfully at all, let alone when I was physically present. My lesson, if you want good service here make your mark early on and be assertive..and staff, be nicer to your clients please. We've come to have a nice time, so be nice to us.