The Fleece, Chelmsford

Work in Chelmsford and called in here to see if it was any good this lunchtime. Dark and dingy inside and I noticed my glass was dirty, but unfortunately only after I had taken a long drink. First mistake was to play the fruit machine. Into it for �25 before I could blink and then the barman appeared at my shoulder and began giving me advice; a sure sign that he watches what goes in and out and plays it.

After a further �20 in, I made my second mistake which was to put another �20 note into the inbuilt changer. This one got stuck, the machine alarmed and the barman switched it off. He made a phone call and said "they will be here soon".

Forty minutes later, I asked him who "they" were. "Leisure Link" he said. I explained to him that I appreciated that it wasn't his fault, but I expected to be treated like a customer and not a nuisance and asked him to call them back and see when they would arrive as I had to go back to work.

Their response was on a par with this pub's general attitude, "could be anytime, half an hour, to three or four hours". I therefore had no option but to leave my �20 note chewed up in a machine that no-one there could or would open. I also, more in hope than expectation left my name and a phone number. However, I did get a phone call over 2 hours later, so walked the mile & a half back. As I walked in, the barman and three mates were on the machine, which was banging out money, presumably my input from earlier. I collected my �20 and walked out, vowing neither to return, nor recommend. Nice experience - call in for lunch, spend money in the supplied entertainment, get mugged for �65 and leave having been treated like some sort of pariah instead of a spending customer.

Not intended as a rant, but maybe a warning to all you fruity players that this pub will happily take your money, but has no interest in treating you with any respect should their machines steal your cash. Be warned.

4 Jan 2007 17:12