Wedding Venue - 1* Food rating

Ivrytwr3

Afternoon all,

A family member has booked a wedding venue for later this year - £1k deposit followed by half payment a week or so ago.

The venue itself is very well known and not cheap

However, in the last few weeks media articles have started to appear that state the venue is having issues with food etc and now the bride-to-be to be is very concerned.  The venue states that it is working on rectifying the issues and a second inspection is due in a few weeks, but does anybody have any idea if they can cancel (and a refund of all monies) or a claim on the wedding insurance, or if they should just give the venue the chance to rectify?

Obviously this is a stressful time as it is without worrying if you are going to give your guests food poisoning

Any advice would be very much appreciated, link to the story/venue:

https://www.sunderlandecho.com/business/ramside-hall-hotel-receives-one-star-food-hygiene-rating-inspectors-say-food-safety-requires-major-improvement-2005262

p00hsticks

I very much doubt that they'd be entitled to any form of refund if they cancelled, especially since you say that the wedding is not until later this year and the link you provided says that

"A second audit was then carried out by the EHO where it was confirmed that Ramside had satisfactorily undertaken all the remedial work required.

“The final audit on the premises is due to take place in the next three weeks, at which time the hotel will receive a revised hygiene rating.”

   So there is a good chance that the rating will be back to satisfactory by the end of the month.

Pollycat

I was just about to post the same thing.

And how later is 'later'?

Ivrytwr3

Summer wedding (don't want to give too many details - hope you understand).

wilfred30

Which is still 3 months away from the end of March so it should be fine to wait until then.
Besides, how likely would it be to be able to book an alternative venue at this late stage?

Fireflyaway

I don't know for sure but I wouldn't have thought you would not be entitled to a refund unless there is a clause in the contract that specifically States you can cancel if the food rating falls below x . If it's not been shut down they can still trade. I'd probably appeal to their goodwill and write a letter stating I'm disappointed to learn of what's happening and had there been a rating of 1 I would not have booked it. They might offer a discount and to be honest I've seen several places rated low completely turn things around. A bit of negative press made them rise up to above average! It could be an opportunity to get a good deal! 

pickledonionspaceraider

I would just cancel. Seriously. This could be a concern that will cloud the day, if they proceed with this venue

Not only will the B&G be worried, all the guests will know the kitchen there is a dirty hole.  Really offputting

In my thoughts, they have broken their contract, as they are not going to be able to provide the service that has been booked, the rating has dropped and the party would not have booked a 1 star dirt hole

mothertoben10

I think they should be given the chance to rectify, I have known an establishment near me have a 1 star rating and within 1 month was back up to a 5 star. 

kazwookie

I think the B & G should contact them and ask how things are going as they are concerned reports they have read etc, and go for a visit inc a look around the kitchens so they can see for themselves.

Pollycat

pickledonionspaceraider said:

I would just cancel. Seriously. This could be a concern that will cloud the day, if they proceed with this venue

Not only will the B&G be worried, all the guests will know the kitchen there is a dirty hole.  Really offputting

In my thoughts, they have broken their contract, as they are not going to be able to provide the service that has been booked, the rating has dropped and the party would not have booked a 1 star dirt hole

I think the OP's family member needs to consider the implications of cancelling.

What monies already paid can they recover?

Can they afford to take the hit of losing even part of the money already paid?

Is there an alternative venue that can cater for the party on that day?

Is it affordable?

Maybe other couples have cancelled and a venue like that (which apparently has 7 kitchens) may be in short supply.

The kitchen might have been a 'dirty hole' at the time of the inspection but the venue says they "immediately addressed the action points and all structural works noted within the inspection."

And - as posted above - “A second audit was then carried out by the EHO where it was confirmed that Ramside had satisfactorily undertaken all the remedial work required."

I agree that it's not ideal to have a wedding in a place that has been flagged as 1* - but the couple need to be pragmatic and consider their options.

If it was me, and I could afford to write off what has already been paid and I could book an alternative venue that had good reviews and could cater for my party, I'd cancel.

But what about the OP's family member?

Can they?

pickledonionspaceraider

@Pollycat - Well that is up to them really. 
I would write it off, if I could.  Like I said, when the agreement was made between the B&G/Venue - the venue's circumstances have radically changed.  The issue is, they have done remedial works to clean up, but the same staff with a 'devil may care' attitude still work there, god knows what is going on when the health and safety are not watching. I feel that is some kind of contract break, and if it isn't - that would be the angle I would be playing. 

I am really funny about things like this though. Id never have food from an unclean place