Shaftesbury Casino - Dudley Guide and Review
Shaftesbury Casino, located in Dudley, near Coventry, presents a varied picture based on recent visitor experiences. While some patrons have lauded exceptional staff, others have reported significant issues with service, staffing levels, and overall atmosphere.
The Good: Glimmers of Excellent Service ✨
Despite the prevailing negative sentiment in some reviews, there are clear indications of positive interactions, particularly with specific staff members:
- Outstanding Bar Staff: Several reviews praise the bar staff for being "excellent and helpful," highlighting their politeness and knowledge.
- Welcoming Hospitality: One notable experience mentions a "wonderful experience" from start to finish, with a hospitality team member named Bex being described as "amazing, polite, and very knowledgeable about both bar and gaming."
- Friendly Management: A duty manager, Jenny, was also singled out for being "very friendly" and making guests feel welcome, even sharing some history about the club.
The Not-So-Good: Areas for Improvement ⚠️
However, many visitors have pointed out consistent and significant drawbacks that detract from the overall casino experience:
- Staffing Shortages and Wait Times: A recurring complaint is that the venue is "understaffed," leading to "waited for a dealer for a while" and "waited even longer to cash in chips." This directly impacts the gaming experience and customer flow.
- Poor Staff Attitude: Beyond just shortages, some staff members have been cited for having a "very bad attitude." Instances include a dealer giving dismissive responses like "what does the sign say 'back shortly'" for significant wait times (20-30 minutes) and a bar staff member described as "appalling" and "unable to work" with a poor attitude towards customers.
- Issues with Food Service: Patrons have expressed frustration over the availability of food, with one review stating staff "like to have food menu but don’t like to serve it."
- Accessibility and Parking Concerns: There have been reports of "2 disabled bays" being blocked, presumably by staff, despite "plenty of parking available," raising concerns about accessibility and enforcement of parking rules.
- Unprofessional Accusations: In one severe instance, a group playing together was accused of "robbing your own mate" for simply touching playing chips, leading to a "very very poor" overall experience.
- Overall Disappointment: A recent review bluntly states it's the "Worst casino in West Midlands," suggesting a preference for other local establishments.
Summary & Recommendation
Shaftesbury Casino - Dudley appears to be a venue with considerable room for improvement, particularly concerning its operational efficiency and consistent customer service. While pockets of excellent staff interactions exist, they are often overshadowed by complaints of understaffing, long wait times, and instances of rude or unprofessional behavior. Parking and food service issues further contribute to a less than ideal experience for some visitors.
For those considering a visit, it seems the experience can be quite hit-or-miss. If you prioritize quick service, a consistent gaming flow, and generally positive staff interactions, recent reviews suggest you might encounter frustration. However, if you're lucky enough to encounter their highly-praised staff members, your visit might be genuinely enjoyable.
Bar staff were excellent and helpful but let's get to the crooks if it this venue is understaffed we waited for a dealer for a while and waited even longer to cash in chips but to add a bit of insult when asking a member of staff if someone was avaliable the response was what does the sign say " back shortly" obviously shortly being a time scale any where between 20 to 30 mins but not before. When I asked to see a manager he was very keen to tell me they were short staffed which was not my issue it was the attitude of the dealer. A bit of manners cost nothing and yet they weren't paying me to go there.
Not sure why they keep letting people block 2 disabled bays when there is plenty of parking available? I'm assuming it's staff because it's always the same cars.
I have had a wonderful experience here from start to finish. The hospitality team member Bex was amazing, polite, and very knowledgeable about both bar and gaming.We also was made to feel welcome by duty manger Jenny, she was very friendly. Jenny also told us a bit of history about the club. I definitely will be returning back here.
Very very rude service.If you go to this casino be sure to not ask for any food.As the staff here like to have food menu but don’t like to serve it.We went as a group and was drinking and playing for a good few hours.Considering you’ve spent some decent amount of money you’d expect a good service.But no the staff behind the bar was appalling,The one lady with the green in her hair.Was terrible she was unable to work.And had a very bad attitude towards customers.Definitely wouldn’t go here again.And make sure if you and your mates are playing together.Do not touch his playing chips.As they will accuse you of robbing your own mate.Overall experience very very poor.