Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

Decided to call in for a little breakfast this morning. It was the first and last time. Behind the counter are probably the most miserable bunch of ladies this side of the Pennines.
I went for the Big Five breakfast option but when asked if it would be possible to have mushrooms instead of the tomato the person serving just said you can't replace anything - the first time that has happened anywhere.
When the breakfast arrived it looked awful. The egg must have been cooked in oil so old it looked dirty!! The bacon was half meat half fat, the sausage crunchy and the beans looked as if they'd been kept warm for a least two hours. The tomato was cooked on the outside and raw in the middle ('erindoors had this).
I for one will not be venturing into this place again as there is certainly no pride in serving and producing a nice looking meal for the customer.

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

Sounds lovely! Am glad I have never ventured in

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

if ya mean the cafe that used to be the picnic basket phil, i agree wholeheartedly, in fact i would rather plat snot than dine in yon. i been in once n thought the staff were on leave from Tenko.

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

Reminds me of a Tranny cafe on the A6, I was in one day and this bloke came in and asked if the proprietor could make him a special breakfast, we always try to please he said. Well I want two eggs undercooked and runny, burnt crispy bacon, raw black pudding cold beans hard fried bread and a cold pot of tea. We couldn't possibly prepare a meal like that sir. That's funny you did yesterday:D:rolleyes:

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

Not seen anything about that on here or have you just decided to come out of the closet ? :D

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

Quick on there dave, been sleeping in the knife box all night have we:D For Tranny read Transport Cafe:rolleyes:

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

I used to work at the one in Blackburn (which has changed its name now) before minimum wage for under 18's came in. I was on £3.25 an hour on saturdays and sundays, I barely got adequate breaks, was constantly on my feet and I once broke down into tears because I was so tired I was shaking and I dropped a small jug of cream on the floor.

A nice foreign gay man used to be the manager of the accrington one, he would come over and check up on us in the blackburn one every now and again and he once made us get down on our hands and knees after work and scrape the floor clean with a scraper. He was a good manager but last I saw, and this would've been when I was around 17 so 2 yrs ago, the blackburn manager had gone to the accrington one. Not sure if he is still there, nice enough guy but hires his staff quite recklessly.

(He hired me because he was waiting for someone else to turn up when I walked in and asked if any jobs where going. He flirted with me throughout the interview and offered me the job straight away. No experience or anything. He didn't even ask about GCSEs)

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

i'm not sure which on it is...theres one as you come in through the enterance near wilkinsons, i went there once wanting a bacon butty and they had a big pile of cooked bacon that they reheated in the microwave... i didnt fancy that so i went somewhere else

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

is there an entrance to the Arndale near Wilkinsons? lol

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

im asleep, ignore me, for some reason i thought we were talking about the market...

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

no problem i usually do.:D:D:D:D

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

Its the one as you turn left when you come out of marks in the arndale. Kinda opposite bodycare

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

It is the only café in the arndale, how can anyone miss it?!

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

Unless you walk down that way you will not know its there. I, personally, cut through m & s so very rarely go that far down.

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

Had the same experience with the miserable staff and crap food two years ago and haven't been in there since.
It's worth going to Manchester if only for a decent cawfee.

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

ya can getr decent coffee in Preston Shaker, ya dont need to go that far love lol

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

I've only been in there twice I think, so I'm not sure if it's the same place, but if it is the only cafe in the Arndale (as Blazey has said) then one of my customers has just been saying how wonderful they all are in there.

You can please some people all of the time, etc.

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

Preston & Manc are both 20 miles from me and given the choice I'd have the latter any day! Printworks, Pop & Piccadilly Records win it :)

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

The one in Blackburn got in trouble with the health... dead mice found in or near food:
Don't really go in the one in Accy..... being that I can not have a smoke with my brew.... and there are always screaming kids...... ( hate that )

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

Think the Staff member might be wrong there....The Mushrooms might not be replaceable....but miserable staff like that sure as hell are. The staff used to be quite cheerful in there but must admit the current bunch are a gloomy lot alright!

Best Regards - Taggy

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

Never been in the place, under any management, certainly won't now.

Maybe there might be an off day for food, but surely the customer is always right and there is room for compromise? :confused:

PS Mind you, be careful Phil, didn't you know you aren't allowed to criticise a business on here? ;):D

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

We went in about 2 years ago and had a very miserable experience. Asked for 2 veggi breakfast. They looked at us like we had landed from Mars and produced fried egg (hard) Beans (cold) and tomatoes (raw). needless to say we never went back.

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

The best cafe in town for a breakfast is Annies in the old arcade on Church Street.

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

always been ok in yon, me late missus worked there fer years when Dorothy had it.:) twas good back then also.

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

Would have to think about that one Cashy ..:D

Me neither Magpie .. used to go in before the changeover, was always busy and gave a much needed break from shopping. Was good then I thought. Now, just rush in and rush out and maybe, if I could linger longer, would buy more in town, but having a fag outside in the cold doesn't appeal now, I'm afraid... :(

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

I've been in Cookies in Accy a few times but when I've been in I've only had a brew and maybe a piece of toast.

I've never had a meal there and it's quite pricey so you would expect good food.

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

That used to be a great cafe at the bottom of Warner Street, think we've discussed it on here before, but you had to queue up to get in every lunchtime, and the grub was first class a was the service, but there again that was back in the sixties when I used it, people in those days appreciated your custom, unlike today, they don't give a toss now, likes it or lump it, then they wonder why places close through lack of support

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

Was it called Bowdens, Jaysay??....If so i seem to remember them doing really good Spud Pie!

Best Regards - Taggy

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

Go in Cookies quite regularly on a Saturday and it's always seemed OK to me...although there's not much you can mess up with a baked spud and chilli filling. Haven't noticed any change in the staff's attitude but I usually have something else on my mind at the time (the last lingering hangover pains from Friday night, the forthcoming potential bananaskin at the FES etc). However, I will keenly observe any deterioration in staff civility next time I'm in!

Want to try this place though, especially as I've been promised a free meal there. It's run by my ex-boss who was made redundant from our place about five years ago.

Seems quite a change from being the creative director of a Manchester ad agency, to running a cafe in Accy!

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

Spot on Taggy, they also did a nice Spotted Dick too:D

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

I was thinking the same thing myself Lancs,if there`s any more of this kind of behaviour there will be a transvestite- homosexual protest on this site and possibly a march through Accrington :flamethro:flamethro

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

Went in there today and paid particular attention to the staff...and I must say they were all polite and friendly. In fact, the lady behind the counter even came over and asked us if we'd enjoyed our meals afterwards. As for the nosh, the chilli and baked spud was fine, but I suppose it'd be difficult to mess that one up. An excellent brew, as well. Maybe you picked a bad day, Phil?

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

Never been in as IMO it looks dull and un-inviting.

My favourite cafe in accy is definatly the eating house accross from the town hall, the food is always nice, prices are reasonable and the staff are VERY helpful.

Helps that the staff are rather attractive too :-) just dont tell my missus i said that lol.

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

i like it there as well speedy... i dont fancy the staff tho :D

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

I think there's a thread about Billy Boden's somewhere on here.

You ate in the kitchen whilst the loose spud pie and jam roly-poly bubbled away on the range behind you.

I used to love going there when I was a child.

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

Bit like Jimmy Stivies Rindi, although Jimmy idn't do Spoted Dick:D

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

Was that the one in Ossy more or less opposite the Golden Cross?

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

Right, I'll give that a try in a couple of weeks' time! :D

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

That's right Rindi, was on the corner of either Kay Street or Cross Street, surprising how you lose track when things are no longer there, but having thought bout it Cross Street:confused:

Re: Cookies Tea Rooms in the Arndale
 

Have been in once before and don't anticipate going in again.

The staff's attitude and manners towards customers is simply not right, and the price of the food; I don't think I'd pay for that if I had a lot more money than I did