The Dun Cow - Gateshead

Booked a christening advised on booking number of guests, was told no problem you can have sun room going into garden with marquee After paying deposit I visited the venue to be told the marquee has since blown away and no longer available if I hadn’t visited not sure I would have been told! Issue now being the garden room doesn’t seat the number of guests, therefore we were told additional tables and chairs would be provided and use of the bar seating however on arriving on the morning of the christening no a additional seating/tables supplied and when queried with management ignored. Cost of the buffet to be provided was £8.50 a head, very expensive in comparison to other places and the food provided was not worth the amount we paid. We catered for 50 guests so spent £425 I would have expected more. Was also asked upon paying for buffet to pay in cash (tax evasion? Upon booking due to price of buffet I was advised I could always bring a few of our own bits of food to add. Management stood watching us add to the table on the morning of the event and waited until guests arrived to make a scene advising we shouldn’t have added food this wasn’t allowed and needed to be moved. At this point I was stressed, upset, let down. I addressed management and was asked do you want this buffet serving or not?! Very unprofessional. The bouncy castle supplied is appalling, how they can allow children onto this in the state it is in is beyond me, absolutely filthy. If you have a special day planned please DO NOT BOOK and look elsewhere What could have been a much better day was tainted by poor hospitality and customer service

I have not been here for many years even though I live locally but will not visit again. To start at the beginning the menus are confusing, 3 of them; the main menu, the specials board and the two tier 2 courses for set price(s) . The set price menus list starters and mains (pudding can be added for extra £4.50) but staff not sure if you could have pudding instead starter for the same price. None of the menus listed what came with with the main item eg Classic Chicken Kiev but had to ask what came with it and was told chips , it actually came with some salad which was already soggy with buttery sauce. I saw one exception to this the scampi came with mushy peas. I ordered the baked salmon which apparently came with chips as well so I requested vegetables instead which were provided but it also came with salad (again soggy under the sauce). The salmon was tasty and well cooked but the Kiev was a bit dry as all the butter was on the outside not the inside. We had waited a good deal of time and just as I was about to ask we were told the electricity had been off in the kitchen and the food was being finished off now and would be another 10 or so minutes the hot drinks were left off the bill to compensate but earlier notification of this would have been a better idea! In an adjoining room a baby shower was taking place not a problem for me but small children were allowed by some attendees to be in the bar area (and literally) hanging off the front of the bar counter unsupervised and asking questions of the staff at no point did the manager or staff address this. And finally, the ladies toilets must be breaking some hygiene/safety laws. Not very clean, empty paper towel dispenser but no hand drier, broken and cracked mirror with sharp edges up against a baby changing table(which itself was a old fashioned drop leaf dining table). The other cubicle had cracked/broken/loose tiles on the floor. Go if you must but you have been warned!

There with britstops in motorhome, very kid and dog friendly , good play area nice food lovely staff.

We visited today after hearing good things and it was the complete opposite. The place is really run down and dirty for a start, and secondly the food was terrible. We had Sunday lunch and it was firstly served freezing with burnt Yorkshire’s. We then sent it back and it come out just as cold, told the plates were scolding hot they weren’t at all, and second time they forgot Yorkshire’s, stuffing and crackling, with veg that was mushy and looked disgusting, no sauces were offered either. The male I assume “manager” come over with a half hearted apology and couldn’t get the plates off the table quick enough, we were trying to explain the issue and he wanted nothing to do with it just kept saying “well you clearly didn’t enjoy the food”. He made a sarky comment when he lifted the pork crackling saying “there it is” clearly not knowing we actually had to ask for that after the food was brought in which he said nothing. He was so abrupt and rude which is a clear trend reading the comments. We would never visit here again. Also the garden part at the back is so filthy and disgusting, dirty unsafe trampolines, a dirty bouncy castle just left on the ground and tyre swings which also don’t look safe, this place ought to be embarrassed.

Had beautiful Sunday lunch today, roast beef was thick and melted in the mouth. Lovely side vegetables and all served with perfect gravy. Also had apple crumble and custard which was also very nice Highly recommend, nicest lunch out for a long time.