Dobbies Garden Centres - Shepton Mallet Reviews 292

Amazing 2 hours spent here, staff so lovely. Sadly let down by a checkout confrontation, we're still in shock!

What an amazing place, staff so friendly and helpful as we filled our trolley with plants and pots for our family home. We had spent the day visiting Shepton from Wiltshire with our elderly mother-in-law and were in awe at how lovely people were. When stood at the checkout paying triple figures and really happy with our precious family day out an angry lady stormed up to our children pointing in their faces and saying 'I know what you have done' in front of a long queue of waiting customers. We were shocked! It turned out that they had simply moved a teeny tiny plant my young son had excitedly asked for to have in his bedroom, from it's original small glass pot into another empty ceramic pot situated next to it because they preferred the look of the more colourful pot ... no malice or disrespect intended ... and you would have thought it was a police matter the way we were being spoken to. We had been shopping for around 2 hours so can only assume the employee had been on a plant hunt all that time when she had spotted the empty glass container in her section. We bought it to the attention of the manager, who was very sweet and apologetic. We had noticed the lady fast pace over to the manager before he came and spoke to us, really we should have insisted she was there as we spoke to him to illustrate how totally un-necessary and pathetic the whole scenario was. Not a good look for the wonderful garden centre. My daughter sat in the car crying and we didn't drive anywhere for 15 minutes, just sat in disbelief! In hindsight wish we had refunded all our purchases, has really left a bad taste. Had to give three stars although all the other girls who work there deserve five, such a credit.

Had two scones and cream It said buy one get one free However we were charged the full price. Lady said sign was out of date, but it was there. This was about 4 weeks ago

The day we visited the restaurant had no scones and a limited selection of cakes. The queue to obtain two coffees became very frustrating as we all stayed in one queue many of whom were getting breakfast.
The plant area looked very bleak and hence we left very downhearted. As a consequence I will probably not renew my membership.

Great garden centre, nice range of products and plants. Lovely food in restaurants, friendly staff. Also got a Sainsburys in it. Love going here.

Good experience
However reduce the Sainsbury’s goods and put more garden stuff in
Reduce your prices
Have more offers on weekly
Have a raffle monthly
Thankyou

We always enjoy our weekly visit to Dobbies. Our visits are inevitably marred by the lengthy hold ups we experience in your restaurant which could easily be improved by having more than one coffee machine. Because thats where the delays occur. Ease the frustration your custmomers feel by installing another coffee machine.

I visited Dobbies cafe for lunch and it was the worst meal I have had. Usually your cafe serves excellent meals. We both had ham egg and chips. The chips were cold and eggs not fully cooked. As I was treating my friend it was very embarrassing.

Great experience in Dobbie’s in Shelton Mallet….. staff were great….. Simon was a great help with the variety of trees i purchased. I also like the wide range of stuff there and the coffee shop. The quality of the items on sale is good and the quality of the trees and plants is really top noch.

Cheers Roy…. West Pennard

Very dissapointed to find that our free drinks that have accumulated over lockdown have been removed from our Dobbies account with no explanation.

Recently visited Shepton Mallet Dobbies where ‘ Everything 20%off’ was advertised at the entrance and everywhere inside the store. Also, received an email in advance. However, this does not apply as we found out after we had been through the till and checked our bill. We had purchased a number of plants which were reduced due to their condition and nowhere was there any signage saying items already reduced were not part of the 20% off.
We pointed this out to the most unhelpful, discourteous and quite surly cashier who then showed us a small notice board at the till with terms and conditions and kept repeating‘It’s how we’ve always done things’. Clearly then, a change needs to be made with a clear notice in place alongside the large advertising Sale signs and stating that Not Everything is 20% off!
Unfortunately, the manager was equally unsympathetic and kept repeating the same and quite reluctant to rectify the situation..until eventually he offered to refund one of the cheapest plants in our very full trolley, with no apology or offer to carry forward our concerns that the signs are misleading.
Having been a regular monthly shopper at Dobbies…usually at the Gloucester store, this new experience with two unhelstaff at Shepton Mallet left a bad taste. We won’t be returning here.

Store is clean and well laid out. Customers were all wearing face masks and plenty of space between us. As I am old and my wife is vulnerable, we felt safe.
Staff are friendly.
Breakfast was good value but some items were a bit dried up where they had been kept in heated containers on counter.
This January was the first time we did not find plants to buy.

Went Christmas shopping in late November, so many ideas for presents. Managed to complete over half of my present list and got a great discount when I signed up for the Dobbies card. Highly recommended and very helpful

My main problem is with your restaurants, the queing arrangements need changing so that those wanting Drink and a cake or biscuit are not waiting for longer with people ordering meals. I think the lighting is a bit Too White, some areas need a More Homely and softer illumination, At Christmas perhaps a Chalet outside in the garden could offer hot/cold Drinks and small cakes, maybe, this could also work in the Summer??

Dobbies at Shepton Mallet is always a good visit, A clear and obvious entrance nicely presented leading into the general part of the store, with its wide range of gifts, kitchen and home ware, clothes etc etc. Lovely eatery to the right and the other end are garden tools etc etc and beyond are plants and lots to choose from
Staff members are around and very informative if needed.

All the staff at shepton mallet are very helpful

Unfortunately I feel that the Shepton Mallet store has lost its way it styles the store it seems dis jointed and has lack of flow since it introduced Sainsbury’s inside the store.
The actual area where the plants are and where you buy tools and all required things for garden is all good .
I don’t like the way the house plants are shoved into a corner with the soft furnishings on the right hand side as you enter the store. The space where Maidenhead aquatics was is not utilised very well .
The restaurant goes up and down on its quality of food and the staff seem unhappy and not confident or some not interested in what they are doing .
There are some that are very good but when they are off duty it seems at times disorganised just lately the food quality has not been good.
I love the fact we have the store very sad we don’t have the little seedlings club anymore just as my granddaughter would be the right age to go.
Also I have not been able to sign into my account since you changed the system in May and I have to ring up to get my vouchers?
My son lives near a wonderful garden centre called Perrywood it is excellent the way they display items is brilliant.
Whitehall garden centre at Lacock too is amazing both bigger of course but they just seem to know how to do make it a most rewarding visit .

We used the restaurant at midday. We started queuing at 12-15 & got our lunch at 1-00pm. The staff were working very hard & fast but they ran out of the food we wanted so had to make an alternative choice. Food was good but more staff would have cut waiting time & we could have had our first choice of meals.

Always receive excellent service at Dobbies. Love looking round all the Xmas things. Staff are always hopeful.

Visit for Seasonal gifts

A very good visit the only point I would make there is not enough staff when we did find someone they were most helpful.
It would be good if you had a call system in the garden plant area.