We called and booked a table and specifically asked for a nice table by the river as we were celebrating our wedding anniversary and were told this would not be a problem. On arrival, we were shown to our ‘nice’ table, which was between a wall and the entrance desk. We mentioned that we had specifically requested a window table and were told that these are not guaranteed and everyone with bookings before us had taken up those seats – in fact, under our name on the comupter was a note saying ‘requested nice table, celebrating anniversary’. However, there was still a table of six free by the window which I am assuming must have been guaranteed for another party.

We are locals to the restaurant and have brought it a lot of business in the past but were disappointed by this attitude and inability to be flexible or follow through on a promise. All it would have taken to appease us was perhaps an apology and a round of drinks on the house. As it was, both the waitress and manager did not do more than offer apologies and nothing more, not even a substitute table that was not in such an unfortunate location.

We left and went elsewhere and will not be going back. It is a shame – I hope the restaurant is not becoming a victim of its own success. Barnes has plenty of very nice restaurants and The Depot does not have a captive clientele.