My complaint:
My 75 yr old father recently had a stoke, managed to come on holiday, we were so pleased he could make the holiday we booked last year.
We decided to go for a family meal at the parkdean restaurants, it’s is the first time here and we looked forward to the stay and the meal.
We ordered our meals and each bought a drink, my 19 yr old with his girlfriend ordered a pint with food.
All was well, however half way through the meal, my son went to the bar with his girlfriend THEY HAD ALREADY BEEN SERVED Alcohol together without being asked for ID – he does look his age.
During the middle of the meal, The security guard Daniel challenged my son 19 for ID ( his girlfriend had ID, my sons was in the caravan ) which was the other end of the site. Once challenged I nicely went up and explained that it was a family meal ( clearly there with grandparents chatting and quietly eating our food.) I explained that my son is 19 and had already had been served and we were in the middle of a quiet family meal, the guard came to the table, crossed arms and declared that he was the head of security and had the right to ask anyone for ID ( which I don’t dispute but at a family meal in the middle of the meal felt unacceptable) .the security guard Daniel although In the middle of a family meal made my son go back to caravan in a storm to get his ID ( I should have walked out at that point )
We only met all together that day so our time and meal felt important.
Once he had made my son go and get ID he would not leave the table and I had to tell him to go, the lead to an verbal altercation in front of the whole restaurant ( I have never experienced such aggressive, dominant and belittling behaviour) and not what I expected when spending £200 on a meal desert and drinks.
I then complained and upon speaking to the manager was told that the staff had said I had been rude ( I was actually really upset as I’m not the type of person who would argue like that but it felt inappropriate for the security guard to do this aggressively and challenge us when grandparent are there during our meal, in the manner he did ), he didn’t ask nicely or say sorry to ask he just said he was the head of security and could request this whenever he wanted. ( An abuse of power) and a humiliating situation.
The manager asked what I would like, I said to pay for the meal would be start, she said that that wouldn’t happen and that my son’s girlfriend had been buying him drinks ( which was not true ) he had two drinks throughout the whole meal one they brought together without ID ( he was served ) and once having gone back to the caravan after already being served, I was told that it was my word against his word . I was nearly in tears at this point, I wanted to forget the experience and at least have a genuine apology . I couldn’t believe it, the staff had made out his aggressive behaviour was me and lied about someone else buying my son drinks, I was also suggested by the manger that I might have drunk to much ( I hadn’t drink a drop I had a fizzy drinks ) £200 later a unpleasant encounter , £950 for the caravan to be treated like that on a family meal is such disappointing behaviour.
This Actually affected my sleep and made me more stressed ( I also have health conditions ) , It was implied that it was somehow acceptable to disturb our meal, be aggressive at the table and making him go for ID between meal and desert. Unsetting experience and one I paid for.
Not nice at all, if the guard Daniel had asked or been nice, or had at least been sorry to interrupt us it would have been different , he displayed a terrible forceful attitude this should not have happened. I never experienced paying for a family meal and end up having something like that happen and then be told I was in the wrong. There is a way to approach a situation and the security guard was completely out of order and unnecessary.
This upset my father and our whole holiday experience, I’m writing this on the last day.and I cant wait to go home because of this.
Also we had builders working on the next caravan porch, right outside the window, we had this noise for several hours, which ruined the day before the above happened.
I wouldn’t feel welcome to come back after this experience even if I had wanted to . Staff ruined the holiday we had so looked forward too.
Such a shame.
Suggested solution:
At the very least pay for the meal,
However in total this ruin our holiday for half of the week and create upset and lack of sleep.
A part refund on the holiday and an apology and to ensure the guard in question understands that approach and manner is everything and his behaviour was rude approaching us the way he did, after we had been there for an hour with no issues on a quiet family meal.
