Britain’s ‘strictest’ cafe puts up TWENTY ONE hand-written signs banning dogs and unsupervised kids in crackdown
CUSTOMERS have been left gobsmacked by a cafe’s whopping 21 signs instructing them what they cannot do on its premises.
The notices at Hidden Gem Café in Manchester‘s Heaton Park tell punters dogs are not allowed, children must be supervised, and toilets are for customers only.
And if you fancy eating your pack lunch in the cafe – think again.
The owners warn anyone caught consuming food or drink not bought in the coffee shop will be asked to leave.
The staggering number of warnings and notices has driven many to express their frustration on social media.
“Things like this really p*ss me off.
“Like most of these things are just common sense. Makes you think the owners are d*cks and in that case I’d rather take my custom elsewhere,” said one user.
Others were more understanding of the cafe’s strict rules.
One commenter wrote: “All reasonable requests, but it’s extremely funny how many signs there are.”
Journalist Jack Fifield, 26, noticed the signs when he was visiting the garden centre where the cafe is located.
He said he stumbled across the cafe while visiting the beauty spot, just north of Manchester city centre, on his day off.
Like many other customers he found the notices a little overbearing but managed to find the funny side.
He joked: “Anyone know if there’s any rules I have to follow at this cafe?”
He added: “I was shocked to be greeted by a sign telling me I could be asked to leave if I consumed my own food or drink.
“As I approached the cafe to buy myself a slice of cake, I noticed a lot more signs with different rules and regulations.
BITTER PINT Punters call me ‘UK’s strictest landlord’ because I charge them for LEFTOVERS – I don’t have time for idiots
Mark Graham, 62, has owned and run The Star Inn pub in the tiny hamlet of Vogue, Cornwall, for the last 27 years.
He hit back at a customer who tried to shame him online after they were charged an extra £2.40 because they piled their plates high at the £12 all-you-can-eat carvery – but ate barely any.
Verity Farmer, who shared her experience on Facebook, said: “Just been for a Sunday carvery at The Star Inn, Vogue, St Day.
“We paid for our meal at £12 each, and when we got our bill it had got an extra £4.80 added.
“When questioned about it they said it was a charge for not eating all our meal. I’ve never heard anything like that before.”
Her post prompted nearly 400 comments in less than 24 hours, with The Star Inn’s social media page among those replying.
It said: “We just try and make sure there is enough food for everyone.
“I’m sure if you were a customer later on in the day and I had to tell you I had no food left for your booking because it had all been wasted and gone in the bin you would not be very happy and would have made another social media post too.”
Now Mark – a former tin miner who also served in the Royal Navy – has defended the policy, which is outlined in notices inside the eatery.
After buying a slice of cake and a hot chocolate he went to sit down outside.
“Afterwards, I got my water bottle out and I felt like I was breaking the rules when I took sips from it. I was worried I’d get kicked out, but of course I didn’t,” he said.
Despite the seemingly hostile signs, Jack said the staff were “friendly enough”.
“I did see a guy throw his leftover chips on the floor to feed the birds, but there was no sign saying not to do that, so I guess he was within the cafes rules,” he added.
The cafe manager, who goes by Mark, defended the cafe’s strict stance saying the signs were intended to remind customers of basic rules.
“It’s a one ace site, there’s the entrances into the shop. I went to Marks and Spencer this morning and saw more signs than I’ve got up, I don’t get what the issue is.”
“It’s not a picnic area,” he said.
He added: “The signs are things like ‘please keep your dogs on a lead’.
“Just this morning, a guy is running around with with his dog not on a lead and a bloke tripped over and banged his head.