Review: Malahide Castle

flan59

Visited the Castle on Sat last and went for a coffee just before 5pm. Got served and went to take a seat in the cafe. Staff on the floor told me the cafe was closing at 5pm and that I would have to leave. I said no and sat down. Guy in suit with an attitude to match arrived and Told everyone in the cafe to leave as it was take away onkly betwenn 5 and 5.30, castle closed at 6pm and everone had to be out by them. I have never seen foreign tourists so astonished that they could not sit down and have a coffee they appeared to be only after gettting. This place and the guy in the suit needs a lesson in how to treat the few tourists we are getting in this country, and the locals who visit places like this. 6pm seems very early to close a visitor attraction on a glorious day in the middle of summer. I assume all the other attractions located within the castle clse at this time also.

Profiler

flan59 wrote: »

Visited the Castle on Sat last and went for a coffee just before 5pm. Got served and went to take a seat in the cafe. .....Guy in suit with an attitude to match arrived and Told everyone in the cafe to leave as it was take away only between 5 and 5.30,.

Were you served your coffee in a take away foam cup or a china cup?

Habanero

Hello,

As a regular and very much satisfied customer of Malahide Castle and its various amenities, especially the restaurant, I must point out that all closes at 5pm - as shown on their website at www.malahidecastle.com

They are open every day to 5pm, plain and simple. I'm sure insurance considerations come into play regarding people inside the castle after 5pm. If you are going to make a scene passed closing time, you should at least have the facts straight!

Why was a china cup so important on such a beautiful day, when sitting outside would be a pleasure?

A local customer

Tabnabs

Seems fairly simple. If you want to close up at 5, then stop serving 15/20 minutes before closing time. It is unreasonable and dishonest to sell a customer your wares and then ask them to leave (without having given any warning beforehand). Ever heard of drinking up time?

OP, you did the right thing by refusing to go until finished.

It seems Malahide Castle could do with some new management.

WarrenB

Habanero wrote: »

I'm sure insurance considerations come into play regarding people inside the castle after 5pm.

Rubbish

happyoutscan

Habanero wrote: »

A local customer

Not buying it, i'd guess you are an employee of Malahide Castle? :rolleyes:

tfitzgerald

WarrenB wrote: »

Rubbish

+1
its a wonder health and safety considerations were not quoted

KTRIC

Habanero wrote: »

Hello,

As a regular and very much satisfied customer of Malahide Castle and its various amenities, especially the restaurant, I must point out that all closes at 5pm - as shown on their website at www.malahidecastle.com

They are open every day to 5pm, plain and simple. I'm sure insurance considerations come into play regarding people inside the castle after 5pm. If you are going to make a scene passed closing time, you should at least have the facts straight!

Why was a china cup so important on such a beautiful day, when sitting outside would be a pleasure?

A local customer

If you're not an employee I'll eat my keyboard.

UpTheSlashers

Habanero wrote: »

A VERY PASSIONATE local customer

Habanero

KTRIC wrote: »

If you're not an employee I'll eat my keyboard.

Not guilty as charged re the employee comment - but it is a fave place of mine - hope you don't break your teeth on the keyboard!!!

ardmacha

Guy in suit with an attitude to match arrived and Told everyone in the cafe to leave as it was take away onkly betwenn 5 and 5.30,

So there were still staff there between 5 and 5:30. Why then hassle the customers who arrived before 5pm? Rope off the seats and serve takeaway coffee by all means after 5pm, but no need to prevent people drinking their coffee who were in place before then.

TheDriver

its like pubs that serve you at 12:30, then start asking people to leave at 12:35

happyoutscan

TheDriver wrote: »

its like pubs that serve you at 12:30, then start asking people to leave at 12:35

Exactly, there are a few pubs in Galway (over the wesssht in particular) that do this. The bouncers involved then are aggressive animals.

RecessionJohn

There's a correct way and the obvious incorrect way to treat a customer, regardless of being early or late for plain old coffee. After all it's a customer and management should be trained to POLITELY ask the customers to move, explaining why and relay info on when they (the customer) can re-visit another occasion.
It would appear noone was happy on this occasion...

Habanero wrote: »

Not guilty as charged re the employee comment - but it is a fave place of mine - hope you don't break your teeth on the keyboard!!!

Redpunto

That cafe drives me up the wall - went to it the other day to get the kids a packet of crisps - queued up for 5 mins, got to the cash register and she says i have to get them myself and theyre located right back at the end of the queue, i just left - kids werent happy with me though.

Rb

Redpunto wrote: »

That cafe drives me up the wall - went to it the other day to get the kids a packet of crisps - queued up for 5 mins, got to the cash register and she says i have to get them myself and theyre located right back at the end of the queue, i just left - kids werent happy with me though.

If they were located at the beginning of the queue, why didn't you pick them up on your way to the register?

A bit of common sense would go a long way.