Dobbies Garden Centres - Edinburgh Reviews 792

Manager refused to sell the display polytunnel where there was no stock in store - no stock in the central warehouse and no date for when new stock would arrive. So on what basis will the display ever be sold? No online option, no click and collect option and therefor no option to take advantage of the advertised discount. He was asked on 2 occasions today by his helpful staff if the display could be sold. The first was on the basis that there was no stock in the shop. He said no. Fair enough, we could just order click and collect. He was asked again when it became clear that there was no availability at any store or at the warehouse. Again he didn't seem to want to engage with any explanation and just said no. It seems all that would be needed would be for him to arrange an assembly of another display model when new stock becomes available. Not an option it seems. I feel for the staff and I feel for all the other customers who look at the display to find they can't order it at the sale price and can't buy the display. Disappointing from a store with so many great non-management staff

Waited 15mins to get service and I didn’t receive my food after another 10min wait for a scone. Pot of tea very dirty cup was cracked. Waiters were just walking around not communicating with customers. It was at 10am it was not that busy

Long term customer of this place. Usually love visiting every few weeks. But what an absolute rip off on the strawberry and cream scones. Ordered 3 for myself, partner and mother to find not even half a strawberry inside, just garbage cream from a can and a wafer thin smear of strawberry jam scraped on one side of the scone. Complained to the Manager who said there was supposed to be half a strawberry (clearly not too bright to admit that, as it’s pathetic for £4.25 per scone). Given their prices, Dobbies should be ashamed of themselves. Have a Dobbies membership card I WONT be renewing. Greed personifies.

Myself and two dear friends had an enjoyable experience. Friendly staff, good cake, wide selection of plants. The plants were expensive but in good condition. It helps that it is close by.

It’s very rare that I complain, but the young lady who was preparing the coffee at about 3.30pm completely let the other team members down.
Firstly, the teapot she presented us with, not only was horribly stained, it looked dirty. The person behind me in the queue mentioned this too.
I asked her if it would be possible to change it. No words. No smile. Nothing. Just snatched it and made another one.
I then waited for the milk. Another team member brought a jug and I simply asked if it were mine. She huffed, and literally slammed it on my tray, then poured another one, as the one I claimed was apparently for the people behind me.
I asked if I could have a teaspoon. She said very sarcastically “ sorry honey we haven’t got any, if you give me a chance I’ll get some’.
I asked if there were any on the tables and she said no.
I waited and waited. Hot drinks going colder. I asked again, to be met by the same patronising attitude and being called honey again.
Her attitude was literally appalling.
In the end I went to my table, found another member of staff and explained what happened. She was a credit to the team. Went and found some spoons, asked if we needed our drinks refreshed, which we declined and was very apologetic.
Fortunately we come to this branch weekly, and apart from the odd tepid coffee, we know the staff are lovely.
If this was my first visit, it would definitely have been my last.
This young lady needs customer service training urgently!!

Waited 25 mins for food. Not the staffs fault. There was a shortage of staff and guys who were working were running from side to side to order, serve and deliver food.
WHY DONT DOBBIES ADD A QR CODE SO THAT YOU CAN ORDER AT TABLE. ESPECIALLY THE DOG AREA WHERE SERVERS ARE VERY RARE.
Food was good but service time made it unacceptable. Soup and sandwiches, and kids lunch box. Coffee and coke.

Won't use proper full milk in their coffees yet sell large cakes and biscuits full of sugar. Majority of their customers are older, many with pre or type 2 diabetes,chronic inflammation, Obesity, and one or more symptoms of metabolic syndrome, many of which are caused by these sugar bombs. If the fat in the milk was unhealthy in the first place, then nature wouldn't put it there. It contains all the fat soluble vitamins (especially vitamin D) that the body needs for optimum health.

Dogs in restaurants not good.

Don't go for breakfast unless you like it cold and dry. After ordering a vegetarian breakfast and a vegan breakfast they came within a few minutes. How can they cook that fast? They can't it was cold and eggs dry like it had been sat for ages under a lamp "a broken one" and they served the vegan breakfast with normal butter... won't bother again.

Twice now I have bought kids products (toys and book) where pieces of the product have been stolen whilst in the shop or are damaged. This is just unacceptable and demonstrates how the shop has generally deteriorated over the years and is no longer a premium shopping experience. A sad decline from its heyday 10-15 years ago. Whilst I live less than a mile from the shop I rarely consider visiting anymore since it has become so run down .

On the last few visits (yesterday and last month), we have experienced, almost cold coffee. We asked if they could be reheated, but they said they could only pre-heat the cup, and you have ask for that. We did that, but it made no difference, so we asked if they had a microwave. My husband explained why, and was responded to, with a flat "no"..... We also had an issue with the croissants, which had obviously been taken out of the fridge/freezer shortly before display. All in all it was a very underwhelming experience on both occasions 😒

I bought 72 plugs online in the middle of May. I am a lazy Gardner and got lucky when I planted them all straight into my garden pots. I have had a continued display of really lovely coloured flowers all through summer.
Delighted with them

Avoid this garden centre! I had a serious accident in their car park, I broke my leg. Slipped on loose stones tried to save myself and my foot went into a pothole went over my ankle fell to ground. Fell awkwardly and broke my leg. If this pothole had been filled in before my accident I probably would have just skinned my knee. Did the management care? Did the heck couldn’t even apologise. They were quick enough to repair the pothole and area around it!! It’s a while ago since this happened but just want people to know what kind of place this is!!! I’m never going to forget it as I very long scar on my leg!! 2019

Great service from Cameron!
I ended up choosing a few more plants than I’d planned so had filled my trolley up, but still needed bark and compost. Cameron saw I was struggling and immediately offered his help… even pushing the extra trolley to the till then out to my car where he loaded everything up neatly.
A real credit to the garden centre team - thanks Cameron!

We ordered £350 worth of plants. We opened our front door to find 3 battered boxes had been delivered - we had no idea they were arriving today. The plants had been overpacked into the boxes with the result that half the plants have snapped stems. 18 items are missing. We called Dobbies and they told us that they would not help us by phone and we had to email photos of what we had received. We are so angry at the state of the plants that we have received. We have no idea if Dobbies believe they have sent us everything or not (they haven't). It's a total disgrace. I will not be using Dobbies ever again. I am angry that this is deemed acceptable for a premium priced garden centre. I have photos of the whole experience.

Their coffee tastes terrible, weak and watery. For some reason they only use low fat milk in their coffees which makes them taste watery. Also this causes the foam on the coffee to quickly shrink and break up, so by the time you get it to the table, the cup is little more than half full. If a customer insists that they want skimmed milk in their coffee give them that option, but for the rest of us proper milk please, your customers will thank you for it.

Filthy seating in Restaurant st Lasswade, Edinburgh. This was the case a couple of years ago and it’s worse now. Slittered and huge stains on seating. Reported to Customer Services at Lasswade, Edinburgh and Head Office no reply!
What a way to treat your customers, really disgusting.

I joined Dobbies Club as I was purchasing some plants.
The man at the checkout was very helpful and didn’t rush. Didn’t get his name but was very patient.

Had lunch with the family in Dobbies Lasswade (Edinburgh) today. The food was great value but the service was what was really to write home about. Jordie was absolutely brilliant! He was friendly to everyone that he came into contact with, he was buzzing about constantly making sure everyone was okay and happy, taking real time to give really good customer service. Definitely a credit to the restaurant!

Restaurant review:
DONT WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY! The place is an absolute shambles, we sat at an available table, nosied at the menus and went to the till to place our order. To be told we couldn't sit there as that area was "coffees only" (why did they have menus on the table then?!) There was no sign or indication that certain seating was for coffees only. So we collected our belongings and searched for another table.
A server came and took our order and informed us that the 3 meat Sunday Roast only consisted of 2 meats this week as they had ran out of one (this was at 12.10pm on Sunday...the lunch orders had only just started). She also said that it would be a minimum 30 minute wait....the place wasn't particularly busy and majority of the people seated were having coffee/tea and some sort of scone/cake. 40 minutes passed and we received our food. For the price they are charging it was honestly shocking how mediocre the food was. Cuts of meat were wafer thin (you'd think it would be meant for a sandwich is was that thin), items missing for the Roast dinner and incorrect sides were presented to us. The quality of food did not justify the price by any means. During our meal we also had TWO different servers bring us food that weren't meant for us, I'm not sure if they were new but it all seemed very disorganised.
I genuinely would never go back after this experience.