From the
https://www.kentlive.news By Mary Harris, 23 October 2018.
Pub-goer left fuming after Cross Keys in Tunbridge Wells asks her to
share party after double booking bungle.
Kim Hewitt pictured at her home in Southborough - she had been excited
about her 50th birthday party but was upset when she realised she would
have to share with another birthday Halloween party.
(Image: Sally Loram)
A woman celebrating her 50th birthday party in a Tunbridge Wells pub was
left fuming when the boss asked her to share her celebration after a
double booking bungle.
Kim Hewitt, 49, of Southborough was really looking forward to her bash
with family and friends at the Cross Keys Pub in St John's Road on
Saturday.
Excited Mrs Hewitt had booked her party and paid a £100 deposit at the
pub on July 24. Staff were going to lay on a buffet and Mrs Hewitt had
booked a DJ for a disco.
But she couldn't believe it when she saw a woman on Facebook had invited
people to a fancy dress birthday and Halloween party with a disco and
food on the same evening.
Mrs Hewitt, of Manor Road, had hoped it was a mistake but was "furious"
when she contacted the Cross Keys where staff asked if she wouldn't mind
sharing her disco.
They told her the other booking was for "the snug" which only seats
about 20 people but Mrs Hewitt said the last time she saw the woman's
account, 168 people had been invited.
"How can you expect total strangers to share?"
"I ended up in tears all weekend. We totally understand pubs will not
stop their locals walking in and if they had come and danced then fine
but I don't want a whole extra party coming and totally taking over.
"They asked if we could share the disco with this other party.
"It's inept. She can't expect two parties to join together when we don't
know each other. How can you expect total strangers to share? And
they're a lot younger group. We've paid for it, we don't want to share
it," she said.
She added: "I have got about 45 coming.
"We organised our own disco ourselves. We were going to pay a further
£160 and have a buffet. It was for my friends and family to all relax
together, to get up and have a dance.
"I was left a week before my birthday trying to find another venue."
"I'm appalled by it. They should have written down in their book the day
they took the booking and the day they took the deposit," she said.
Mrs Hewitt and her husband Kevin have cancelled the party and have moved
it to the "Rose and Crown" in Tunbridge Wells.
Her £100 deposit was returned by the Cross Keys.
Cross Keys general manager Elly Harper told Kent Live the snug which
seats about 20 people was separated by the bar from the restaurant area
and conservatory where Mrs Hewitt was having her party.
The pub is only licensed to a capacity of 100 people, she added.
"I'd hoped to reach a happy medium"
"We were concerned when we heard about 160 people being invited (for the
other party) because we can't fit that many people in.
"But she told us she had invited a maximum of 30 people because she was
aware how many people the snug could fit," she said.
Miss Harper said they had suggested the women split the cost of the
disco and both parties enjoy it.
Julie Wilson, a director of the pub who dealt with both women, said: "I
am upset. I would never let customers down. If someone wants to book a
private party, you would not hold it in a pub. You would hold it in a
hotel. I had hoped to reach a happy medium but if we couldn't I would
have to make a decision (cancelling one of the parties).
"But (Mrs Hewitt) took her party elsewhere.
"There was nothing we did wrong. It is a big pub. We can't shut for
private parties."
She added she had offered to make six complimentary trays of sandwiches
for Mrs Hewitt to use wherever she re-booked her party but it was
refused.
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