Nice place to go for a couple of hours or more. Free parking too which is a bonus so no clock watching makes things more relaxed. Nice walk with information boards dotted around telling you about the area, pretty decent cafe not to expensive and decent play area for kids in front of cafe, bins were slightly overflowing outside cafè and the usual flies and wasps about because of it do feel the staff could've been more attentive to this. Overall rest of park was tidy and pleasant to walk round. Please bear in mind as the name of park suggests you are right next to the river, so keep eye on inquisitive kids, as there are some wrecks of boats u can go right up to in waters edge

Amazin place for walking , fishing and relaxing! There is a cafe on the site with kids playground!

Recently discovered and will now regularly visit for walks on my lunch. Perfect for short walks to get fresh air and steps in. Depending on the weather, you can discover more paths that have been blocked by the water the day before. Free parking and lots of spaces available.

Amazing place to come an visit. If you like nice walks an the kids love to explore. Great park also, the cafe is nice an also has toilets for all.

Subject: Complaint Regarding Loose and Dangerous Dogs at Riverside Country Park Dear Sir/Madam, I am writing this letter to express my serious concern and dismay regarding the ongoing issue of loose and dangerous dogs at Riverside Country Park, located at 333 Lower Rainham Road. As a member of the public and a resident in the area, I feel compelled to bring attention to the alarming situation that poses a significant threat to the safety of visitors, particularly children and elderly individuals during school holidays. It has come to my attention that the Control of Dogs Order 1992, which mandates that dogs be kept on a lead in public areas such as Riverside Country Park, is being consistently violated. This negligence in enforcing the law has resulted in numerous instances of unleashed and aggressive dogs roaming freely, endangering the well-being of park-goers. During recent school holidays, the risks associated with this issue have become even more apparent, as the number of families and children visiting the park increases. The lack of a designated warden further exacerbates the problem, as there is no immediate authority present to address these dangerous situations and ensure compliance with the law. Moreover, I am deeply disappointed by the apparent failure of duty of care from Medway Council towards the safety of the public, especially children, who have the right to enjoy public spaces without fear of harm. There have been recent news headlines from across the UK reporting incidents of innocent members of the public falling victim to attacks by dangerous dogs, highlighting the gravity of this matter and the urgent need for action. I implore Medway Council to take this matter seriously and address the following concerns: 1. Implement a robust enforcement plan to ensure that all dog owners adhere to the Control of Dogs Order 1992 and keep their dogs on leads while at Riverside Country Park. 2. Appoint a dedicated warden specifically for Riverside Country Park to monitor the situation, educate dog owners, and enforce leash laws. 3. Conduct regular patrols and inspections to ensure that the park remains a safe environment for all visitors. 4. Publicise the importance of responsible dog ownership and the potential consequences of non-compliance with leash laws through appropriate channels. The safety and well-being of the community should be of utmost importance, and it is the responsibility of the local authorities to protect its citizens. I hope that immediate action will be taken to rectify this situation, and I kindly request a prompt response to this complaint. Thank you for your attention to this matter, and I trust that you will take the necessary steps to address and resolve these concerns promptly.

Small country park with open views across the river, ideal for a short walk. There are signs of former industrial activity all around, from the rusting hulls of old boats to crumbling remains of wharf structures. On an overcast day, these give the area quite a bleak and eerie atmosphere. There's plenty of parking, a café offering good value drinks and snacks, toilet facilities and a play area, so it's a good place for a family trip out. The paths are mostly flat, but big puddles form across them after heavy rain, so it's worth bringing good walking boots if visiting after wet weather. The parking areas open from 08:00, closing times vary depending on the season, so check the signs and website: https://www.medway.gov.uk/directory_record/523/riverside_country_park

Beautiful walks and lots of other dogs to see enjoying themselves. Cafe always has nice cold drinks for after my walk.

Fab place to walk your dogs and you. It's a lovely natural park, does get muddy, you can walk to Rainham which is about 5 km There is a visitors area to get maps of this area. Toilets are open with a small cafe. Fit for the whole family including the wee tots as there is a Fab playback Lots of bowls of water for the 4 legged ones. A field where you can let your dog off the lead to do re call training Even saw a family of wild rabbits...

Nice place to walk - food and drink in the cafe are reasonably priced and quite nice. Staff are lovely. Clean and clear paths to walk on. We often come here to walk the dog. Nice small beach if you want to pop into the water. Adequate parking. There's also a play park for children near the cafe.

Really nice green space to walk or ride. Everything is well maintained including the bridle paths. Lots of parking spaces.

Nice short walk with good river views. There was a lot of puddles which completely covered the paths, so you do need to wear good boots if it's rained.

We drove to another car park directed by google map which is not the one at visitor centre where the toilets are. We parked our car on dry ground where away from the water level. After a 2-hour walk, the cars parked near the shore were flooded when we returned to the car park. Therefore you should not park your cars next to the shore because the high tide can flood your cars.

It was a fun family morning out. The play park is big and varied. It gave the kids a fun hour of running around. We had a hot sausage roll and drink from the small cafe where the staff were friendly and the prices reasonable.

A lovely place to go for a walk, with or without the family and/or pets. Most start out from the car park and then turn left and walk out across the spit of land where pirates were hanged... however turning right is also a really nice walk along the river. The cafe, just off of the car park, has hot and cold drinks and hot food....there were not any cold options for food on the day I was there which was the only let down.

Was there with my daughter and grandchildren doing the Easter hunt, we had a great time. Riverside county park is the perfect place, for your children to play and go on a hunt and just have fun. The cafe is lovely and welcoming, and the staff are lovely..

A peaceful landscape by the river with plenty of wildlife, ideal for bird-spotting. Walks are marked out and cafe/ toilet facilities. Car parking is free.

Very dissapointing… we had a bad experience, we felt like on a cold spa not on ice skate place … blunt hire skates really bad … i use to skate a lot but because i didn’t had my pair with me i had to hire and i didn’t have control on them at all … and the “ice” as i said it was like a water park… a looot of water … and we paid 75£ for 5 people and 3 pairs of skates …. After 40 minutes we had to leave as we couldn’t enjoy …

This ice skating is really nice and spacious, I loved the pizza there too. But the ice melts really quickly, it was like a cold, indoor waterpark, not enough to do a spin though. The staff was ok friendly, and the overall is pretty good.

If I will not talk about the toilets I can say was brilliant. But definitely administration department must take an action to clean the toilets first. You don’t need to refurbished you must first do deep cleaning add the toilet paper and soap. If you not take any actions, I am sure you can wait and will get penalty or maybe will be closed. This is not acceptable. I bought a membership and happy to spend time on weekends here. Most negative reviews are about the toilets. If you are receiving complaints about this issue you can’t to ignore. KR

Fantastic atmosphere, great hockey. Place could do with a bit of a freshen up but this did not detract from the evening out. Will be going again next season!

I took my children here in the half term. I had booked tickets in advance, which the prices are okay as we were allowed on the ice for 3 hours. The ice skates aren't the best. They did hurt out feet a bit. We were first on the ice, so to start with it was extra slippery as no one had skated on it. But after a while we got use to it. The penguin hire was expensive, especially as once I'd paid to hire one (price per hour), my son found it harder to use than skate without. But we did enjoy ourselves. The rink didn't get mega busy but there were a lot of people zooming around but thankfully looking where they were going. Someone was having a skating lesson in the middle, so we weren't allowed in the part. Overall, I would return.

Thank you to all the staff that helped made me and my toddler twins welcome. It was there first time to a rink and the staff certainly made our life easier! Clean facilities, it wasn't expensive and was an enjoyable experience. The boys are already asking to come back!

My son recently had his birthday party at planet ice and fun was had by everyone. The party hosts were fantastic. The safety on the ice section was great for the children as most were on the ice for the first time. Brandon was attentive and ensured that everyone in his care was looked after. In particular when I injured myself on the ice, Brandon was quick to react and help and the aftercare was brilliant. I can’t praise him enough. My son is over the moon with the party and the pizza too! Matthew was also fantastic when he took charge of the last part of the party. Both hosts are a credit to the company and it’s safe to say that myself, my children and party guests will be returning. Thank you!

Great value with very long time slots 11-4:30 on a Sunday,and you can stay on all that time for around £18 per person (this includes skate hire ) only downside and reason for 4 stars is the quality of some of the skates. First pair I hired were awful and kept splaying out to the side as if the blades were blunt second pair were so much better once I changed them. Plenty of room on the ice. Penguins / polar bears cost £7 to hire.

Went to see an ice hockey game. Was great family fun! Good value at £7 and adult ticket, I think child tickets are £1:50. Good idea to get there early as the seating isn't allocated. Good choice of food from a papa John's pizza place at the ice rink. Reasonably priced. Hot and cold drinks available including alcohol from the bar upstairs. Only downside was the toilets . Not many of them and not the cleanest. But that's more of a reflection on the people using them! Great family fun, definitely worth the money. 😁

Has improved considerably in the last six months (to Jan 2024). Toilets definitely better though still not great, but generally much cleaner across the rink side, cafe has had an overhaul. Times are correct for public opening hours, lots of lessons and groups on the rink most of the rest of the time. Group lessons are excellent, teachers very kind and progress you quickly.

Just went to watch the Wizard of Oz on Ice with my wife and son and have to say that it was a complete waste of money. As soon as we were seated, people were complaining that they couldn't see through the perspex screens because of the condensation. They sent a girl to clean them, but all she did was a couple of strips with a broken squeegee. When the lights came on, our view got worse. They then started nearly 15 minutes late, just because people hadn't bothered to get there on time. What we could see if the skating was poor quality. Many people got up and left and we chose to do the same just before the half time interval. I wouldn't recommend anybody waste their money on this.

Nice experience for the kids. Busy due to being half term, and felt there were too many people, the ice started melting so big puddles about, place could do with a lick of paint, but the food served was surprisingly really nice. But, £63 for family of 4, plus food was an expensive day.

We've come here for a skating camp and for some public skates. Always been an excellent experience, everyone has been very helpful and friendly! Great rink. Cannot recommend it enough. Wish it wasn't so far from my house!

This is a museum that we return to again and again, our grandsons get a lot out of this place. History from Napoleonic times to modern day. Trails and exhibits that are put together well. They are doing WW2 next term and this is a great place with staff who are very knowledgeable and encourage people to take photos and immerse themselves in the exhibits. I would recommend this for a half day visit.

Tldr: Worth stopping by if you have a car, harder to reach by foot but still great. Plenty of displays and interesting sections about the unique section of British military history. I went mid-late September, when the weather was pretty good. To get to the museum from the train station its a bit of a walk and adventure so wear good shoes. If you are driving its going to much easier just look out for the tank by the turning entrance. There is a large number of tanks on display around and in the car park so take a good look at them, as some are really rare. My favourite picks would be the challenger 2 engineering vehicles, Titan and Trojan. Another interesting vehicle would be the Centurion AVRE that is popularised by the video game War thunder. To enter the museum you pay for a years pass that is common in British museums such as the Tank Museum in Bovington (I reviewed). The first section is about the much older more medieval engineers and their construction of castles. Second section is much larger and contains a lot more detail and displays. Probably my favourite as it shows of some unexpected aspects to the corps. I would recommend reading lot of the displays as it contains a lot of information. The third and fourth sections have the first and second world war. The corp takes more shape, to what you would expect, at this time. The final sections are in the court yard, a large open area in the centre. It holds a variety of different vehicles and displays up to present day. However, it can be a maze to navigate around! Check out the second floor where the café and modern displays are. Take your time to walk around as its not as clear cut as the rest of the museum. Overall I would take your time as the museum paints a pretty good picture of the groups history. It all very well put together with man rare items on display. Its a unique group not often talked about with the other sections of the military so the whole experience was eye opening to what else is going on the background. If you have previous knowledge of military history, there is guaranteed to be something new! Anyone with no prior historical information will also learn a lot. Stop by if you are in the area! 9/10

Cracking place to visit showing the history of the Royal Engineers from the very beginning to the modern soldier. Lots of interest to be had for all ages, including some interactive stands both on touch screens or physically building/dressing them. It says give 2 hours to look around my daughter and I spent 5 hours there and still didn't read everything. £12 for 12months entry, gotta be a bargain

Any amazing museum. Well laid out, you just walkiling through time. The medal room is the best layout of any display of medals, showing real respect. I would have given it 5 stars but the cafe was really basic and nothing for children. The gift shop again is spars. But still worth the visit

Excellent Regimental Museum, on a big scale, with loads of big boys engineering toys to see. In a beautiful old building that was home to the RE; absolutely loss to see inside, covering a corps that has been to every campaign in 400 years! Well worth the £14 annual pass/ticket. And empty too, even during school holidays - result! Free parking handy too.

A great informative museum. It isn't huge, but if you are interested in reading everything you can certainly spend the whole day there. And whats great is the ticket lasts all year - I didn't get round it all so that means I can go to finish looking round later. There loads of information about the corps history and plenty of artifacts to show. Some of the main ones being the various vehicles the Royal Engineers have made use of over the years.

This is a fantastic place to visit. Incredible walk through the history of the Royal Engineers and British Army. Beautiful building and such interesting exhibits to see. Highly recommended.

Visited as a free entry on armed forces day. Way bigger than I previously thought. Lots of dress up clothes for children. Cafe adequate, poor selection of cakes. 2 cans and 2 brownies £10. Spent roughly an hour. Surprised no cafe external space.

Wow, we weren't expecting to spend as much time there as we did, really enjoyed it. Very informative.

An incredible “must see” collection covering the complete history of the Royal Engineers from inception to current day. Expansive and comprehensive collection combining excellent researched text and images with incredibly rare artefacts from every period. Friendly staff, ample parking and well maintained museum. Allow 2-3 hours for a comprehensive visit.

Really good visit, family ticket is £32 for 2 adults and 2 children with the option of adding an extra child for £5. This ticket and all standard price tickets then give you entrance for 12 months. There is a really interesting range of collections taking you through the history of the Royal Engineers as well as special exhibitions and events (events covered in cost of annual ticket). I would definitely recommend a visit to this museum.

A definite must visit museum. I was very impressed. Incredible exhibits, small and large and great value. I am so glad I visited.

The staff were really nice on the way in. I went with a group with special needs children so I didn't see much of the displays, however the staff were very gracious with us and even though they were running off and touching things they shouldn't did not bat an eyelid so don't be afraid to bring kids with SEN. You'll be surprised at what they find interesting!

The museum was great. Fortunately, it was very quiet on the day we visited, so we were able to take our time and see everything. We went to the cafe here for a much-needed cup of tea.

Nice museum, not massive, but we still managed to lose our bearings at one point. Thoroughly recommend the armoury tour if you like swords and guns, but you need to book this.

Amazing wealth of knowledge, information and artefacts. A V2 rocket, part of the Berlin wall, a Harrier jet and more. You can spend many hours here - there is so much to read. Reasonably priced, has free parking, free bits to view outside (the tanks). Your tickets are valid for a year.

Lovely museum with loads to see and activities to do. I took my daughter here today and she found it really interesting (which for a six year old, trying to find anything that can capture her attention is a challenge but she watched the videos around the museum and took time to try and read the information on the displays - she was fascinated by so much of the museum). We did the workshop that was available for today which for £5 was brilliant value as we had a hour of learning about physics for kids (using paper airplanes) and Rosie Rivet. The lady who ran the workshop was lovely and the staff overall were fantastic as my daughter lost her toy lion and someone had handed him in and the ladies at the desk were helpful. Felt the cafe was pretty reasonably priced and the sandwiches were tasty. Given the price of the ticket is valued for a year we will come back to do the gallery which we missed due to time constraints. It’s worth a visit if you are in the area.

Came for the toboggan experience, we booked 5 slides and the experience ran smoothly, queues 5-10mins per ride so factor that in. I was stuck behind a VERY slow person so the kind members of staff gave me a free ride! Loved every minute, will return

My son was invited to one of his class friend for Birthday Party. Such a good experience for someone who never done snowboard. They have got all the equipment . You just have to bring gloves and hat( if you forget still fine you can get for really good price there). Iovely instructor explain them everything.If you get hungry there is also nice let say small restaurant with hot meal and delicious hot chocolate up stairs.

Highly recommended! Staff friendly and helpful. Fun for all ages younger ones sit with adult...was really enjoyable! You must book in advance. Will definitely be visiting again!!

Prep session for my son and his friends for a forthcoming ski trip. My son had a good experience. I guess practicing on an artificial turf is different to skiing on real snow.

Excellent place to visit for all ages, we only took part in the tobogganing but it was excellent. Felt very safe even though we did it in the rain.

We went to attend a ski party at Chatham Snowsports. All beginners, the teacher was excellent and patient with the kids. Had a fun afternoon. Staff were friendly and provided a great service fitting the skis and boots for the kids.

What a good night out with scouts. The staff were very helpful I would definitely recommend coming to Chatham ski slope

WHAT AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE!!!! I was in Kent with my family and finding few attractions near me and came around it! It was so fun, staff was very friendly. Definitely visiting again! 100% recommended the toboggan ride. Got 2 rides in £8 which was worth the joy!! 10/10

We had fun with my friends in this place, reception was so kind and helpful I recommend this place for day trip

Donuts only for very small children are little bit fun. Underside of the donuts are not slippery therefore they are resistive and difficult to slide, my daughter always stopped at 2/3 of the slide. Gutter is very nice ride for whole family, my 4 years old girl enjoyed full speed ride very much. Medium speed is 80 seconds ride downhill. Maximum speed is only 70 seconds from the top to bottom.

Highly recommend! My boyfriend and I had 3 private snowboarding lessons here. Our instructor for the first 2 lessons was Em and the last lesson with Arthur. I have to say they were both amazing! We both feel very confident after those 3 lessons and greatly appreciate the care and support they both provided to us. We booked joint private lesson and we both feel we were equally supported and provided valuable feedback.

Opened in 1986 and hasn't changed much. Kid went on the toboggan run, said it was OK, given it is the longest on the UK the others must be pretty short at 4 minutes a run including going up seems quite short to me, but he enjoyed himself. Can't view the toboggan run, only start / finish area. £16.80 for 5 rides at time of writing.

We took the granddaughters tobogganing and they thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Good value for money.

Great ride,great fun. £80 for the family for 2 runs is good money, but wanted to go again and told was fully booked. Hardly anyone there,was very disappointed 😞. Will be looking else where.

We came for a lesson a few weeks back. And had a brilliant time! Just wanted to say thank you to glen for teaching us! One of the nicest people we have ever met. When we left it felt like we were as saying good bye to our nan in an old peoples home. Deffo needs a pay rise. Thanks guys!

I had my sons birthday party here and I found this venue hard to rate. The kids did the tobogganing and the snow tubing, the kids absolutely loved it and the staff looking after them were great during the activities. However from the party point of view the 'party' aspect which you have from other venues wasn't there from this venue. When we first arrived I was asked to collect the menus from the children, the cake and everything was taken from me by reception. But no one actually told me were it would be or what room we would be in. We had 10 boys aged 8-9. We were moved from reception to a waiting area and the boys were rather excited and yes at this part they were very very loud. We did the activities and were moved to the restaurant area. There is no separate room for this type of event, so a group of 10 over excited boys are in the main cafe/restaurant/bar area with other customers. When the waiter brought their food over they were told to be quiet as there were 'other people in the building'. Were they loud? Yes, but no louder than any of the other parties I have been to over the last 13 years were you have a group of 10 boys, noisy yes but they were not rude. So in 13 years this is the only party I have spent trying to quieten down a group of over excited kids. The cake is cut and delivered to the table by yourself. After the meal once the boys had finished. I gave the kids the party bags which I forgot had whistles in and the volume began to increase, so I decided to move all the kids out to the car park. I told the kids to wait till they got outside before blowing the whistles which I course they didn't listen to me and again as we were walking down the stairs and through reception they were told to be quiet again as they were on the phone. Did all the kids have a great time? Yes they loved it, but from a parents point of view there was no 'party' aspect. Most venues appreciate that a group of kids of this age are going to be noisy, therefore there is usually a separate room from the other everyday customers. Usually there is a party host (although this is not offered in this package) who takes the food orders, moves the party along, cuts the cake, brings it to the table and tops up the squash. Also this is the first venue when the kids are been asked to be quiet by two different members of staff, during the meal and on the way out of the venue. Would I go back, yes the kids loved it, would I go back for a kids party? No, I wouldn't. Perhaps it's because we had a week day party but there was no 'party' aspect. I would recommend the venue look at the others venues in the area and see what they offer and how they go about doing children's parties. In my opinion it seems someone said we could do children's parties like all the other venues are doing and not putting the effort into running a kids party. There is nothing they do that is special for the birthday child. Not even a happy birthday at the table from the staff. I would also recommend a separate room. A kids party is noisy. They are enjoying themselves. Honestly visit the venue the kids will enjoy it, but I would not do a 'party' here again.

Good for dates, the tobogganing is fun to ride on. Would be nice if they had an outdoor restaurant or a nice hangouts area

We went for my daughter's friend's birthday, and she had a great time. They provided a birthday meal for a number of children, however I would say the food was quite basic. We didn't use the ski slope but had several goes on the down hill tabogen.

It’s very cool place where all family can have fun. You definitely should book in advance. Most stuff was very nice and helpful. Free parking as well.

Went for my sons birthday. Did 7! Runs down the toboggan slide everyone entirely delighted with the experience :)

Terrible service! Mixed up orders, too long delays for food. It's a beautiful place with lovely decor though. Thankfully the management had a no quibble attitude when we asked about removing the service charge.

Despicable service, 1.5 hours waiting. We have been given glasses with lipstick on from previous customers. Tom, the supervisor, while being polite has clarified for us that he decides where a customer is seated no matter if the customer may have any preferences. This is the last time us visiting this place.

Amazing food as always. Really tasty and so fresh. Friendly staff, great atmosphere, real value for money. We had Meatballs and Pollo Cacciatore.

Lol bed our dining experience. Our waitress Tia was very pleasant and also good at her job. Our food came up quickly and was both piping hot and tasty. The restaurant had a good vibe and despite being quite busy it all seemed to be running smoothly.

We went to the Hempstead valley location for my partners birthday. Upon receiving the main courses for our party (3 adults 1 teen and 2 children) my eldest sons was the last to come to the table (by all of like 30 seconds so no wait or anything!) But as the waitress placed it down she apologised and said that she thought it was unacceptable and had requested another be made for him but brought that one over so he had something to nibble on. All we could see was that it wasn't round and had half a rocket bouquet on it!! We wouldn't have complained though but the waitress wanted it to be perfect. She went above and beyond for us even singing happy birthday to my partner. Super awesome staff and a great meal. Will definitely be returning. Thank you all so much. :)

The service and assistance we received was excellent! Really attentive staff who helped with the mistake we made ordering via the QR code. Asked if the food was OK just the right amount of times, made sure everything was good for us and generally very helpful and made us both feel very comfortable to stay once our meal was over. The food was tasty and hot. All staff we encounterd were friendly, helpful and smiley. Atmosphere inside was great. We were made to feel comfortable and nothing was too much trouble The tables are set at just the right distance from the next as well so for a date night, it was nice and private. Neither of us had ever been before and will definitely return again. :-)

Beautiful carbonara, pizza & garlic bread were both on the thin side however overall, a nice lunch. The bill was on the high side for what we got, in our opinion - thank you ☺️

We ordered the Marco Polo and although wondered if it would be too sickly with the plum sauce, it was just the right amount. It was delicious so now my new favourite dish. We also had the rack of ribs, again delicious and plenty of meat on them. The cheeseburger was delicious also and the quantity of all the food was just right and hot. Our waitress was excellent and if we needed anything, I just looked in her direction and she would come over. A lovely evening meal all round.

Shocking place to eat!! Me, my husband and 2 young children were greeted (if I can call it that) by a male at the front desk who was very abrupt, miserable and clearly does not enjoy his job or was having a bad day! He grabbed the menus, walked off without saying anything so we just followed like lost little sheep to our table. Our waitress was much chirpier thank goodness! Orders taken quickly, drinks and main meal arrived quickly so can't fault that. Portion sizes however were so small! My Carbonara wasn't much more than my child's pasta meal. Considering it cost nearly £15 I was shocked at the lack of food, it did taste good but I left hungry which is something you don't want/expect when paying for a meal out. The restaurant wasn't busy, 4 members of staff were serving who spent most of their time nattering amongst themselves or to people on tables they clearly knew. We waited 25 mins after finishing our main meal then had to ask for the kids ice creams which were part of their set meal. We decided against dessert for us as the staff just weren't attentive enough and by this point I was getting fed up with the lack of service so I didn't want to spend another penny in there. We then had to go up to pay for the bill as again were sat there waiting whilst the staff chatted to each other. Very disappointed, won't be going back here and this place need to look at getting some decent staff who actually have some people skills!

The wings starter was 50-50 hot. The ribs were tiny and very pink, the bbq chicken pizza was ok. We left with a very poor taste left in our mouths so went next door for drinks and milkshake.

A bit weird, clean nice restaurant, not bad value, just a bit weird that you order from an app at the table like it's still lock down. Some may like this but for me if you are eating out I like to be served. Take away from the atmosphere of knowing your waitress.

I’ve been to a fair few Bella Italian’s in the past and always make the most of getting my tesco my clubcard vouchers to pay for the food…bonus. I’ve always found them a bit hit and miss and the food a little ‘Chuck In the microwave’. We visited here on Easter Sunday fully expecting to be packed but it was very quiet. Staff were very friendly and service was quick. The whole place was clean and tidy and the table and menus perfect. As a group of 5, the staff quickly grabbed another table to a join so that we had plenty of room. Staff were attentive and able to explain menu items when prompted. Food arrived quickly and hot and portion sizes were reasonable. Overall a well earnt 5 stars as staff clearly look after the place.

Dobbies is a fantastic Store for those Extra Special Gifts! Whether it is some thing for the home, garden or any other Item you may not have thought of. I joined the on-line Dobbies Gardening Club earlier this year &, can recommend it to any keen Gardeners or, even beginners as they are there to help with any problems you may incur. If you buy plants etc., on-line, Dobbies guarantee them for quality etc. Just to top your shopping trip to Dobbies off, you can have a lovely cuppa tea, coffee etc., cake, breakfast or, dinner! You can even take your dog in the Store with you providing, of course, they are kept on a lead! Thankyou Dobbies for all my plants that i purchased from you this year &, can assure you, I will continue to buy my plants either in store or, on-line in the future Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to ALL your Staff that are always there to help!!

Lovely friendly helpful people, great place to visit especially the restaurant. Both myself and my mum love to go any enjoy the free members hot drink and a piece of cake. Plants are always well cared for.

Luscious looking plants, well presented. Enjoyed sitting in the café with a coffee with a dear friend from 9am. Gets busy around 11 in there. Car park nearly full when we left. Good facilities with a soft play section, which has to be pre-booked for 1 hour sessions. Very helpful staff member Emma, but unfortunately they were sold out of what I wanted.

Excellent lunch time cream tea. So much food. Thanks to Deana for all her help. We will be visiting again in the near future

Garden Centre is excellent! Restaurant service is nothing short of awful. 4 people who were seated after us had their orders taken while we still waited (our flower table marker was clearly visible) The only reason we were eventually served is because we had to flag a waitress down to take our order. Waitress was then as miserable as sin with no customer empathy at all. Not even an apology. Then we had to wait to try and get our bill as nobody would come over. Had to stand by the pay station (for a further 5 mins) before being able to pay. Original self service system was so much better. Really gone downhill rapidly. Plus side is the food was nice but we left with a sour taste after extremely poor service Edit... You'll see that Dobbies responded by asking me to email direct. Its lip service trying to make Google readers think they're taking it seriously. They're not!! I got a response with a complaint case number saying they'll be back in touch and then, over 1 week later, nothing.

Don’t bother eating here. Poor service, underwhelming food. We arrived before opening and were first at the doors. We went straight to the restaurant and waited to be seated like the sign said, then were told to just go through. A few other groups sat down after us but were helped before us. Server kept interrupting, no pleasantries at all. When the food came out, most of it was cold, the sausage was burnt, eggs were over cooked, coffee tasted bitter, a very disappointing experience.

A long queue to get in what seemed a quiet restaurant, older man that showed us to seats was friendly. Ordered food and drinks after 15 minutes of getting to table, then had a card machine slammed on the table to pay prior (not a problem, but worth just talking to the guest and explaining that). Got the food (a fairly small lunch menu was on offer, mostly sandwiches). Which was missing chips, didn’t speak to any of the team after as didn’t get chance. Definitely wouldn’t return in the nicest way possible. Sadly, not even a goodbye on the way out.

Nice garden centre Lots of indoor and outdoor variety Unique decorating

3 months on, thought I’d give it another go, ever hopeful. No change, if not even worse. 2 cakes at 3pm and another 30 minutes queuing. That’s the end of my efforts at trying. Never contacted the first time and certainly not expecting anything this time. Even the restaurant has shut early. Not seeing where customer care is at Dobbies? Real shame as had always been so good. Awful experience. Whoever planned the logistics needs to think about a different career. Only been twice since the changes. Minimum queue time 30 minutes on each occasion just for a hot drink. Just ridiculous. Even the monthly 2 drinks as a loss leader won’t remedy the desire to return. Thus collateral issue to all other purchasers once through the door. Clearly not the staffs fault, but you could see the pressure they are under. Someone at head office really needs to own this. Plus 2pm and out of supplies. Please do something to address this issue.

It’s a catch-22 this restaurant. The food is excellent, the quality and serving sizes are good and the prices are very reasonable. But the fundamental floor is the sheer lack of service. It’s just non-existing. Every time we come here, we are left waiting in line for at least 5 minutes. Then we get shown to our table and *sometimes* given our menus. Once the order has been taken, everything else is fantastic. But the quality of the service provided is poor. Today I witnessed two waitresses team up on a table who were complaining because they wanted hot food and the kitchen had stopped hot food because apparently got they were too busy - despite the restaurant only having half occupied covers. If they sorted out the service here, this would be an exceptional restaurant.

decided to have our two free coffees on today Tuesday 19th, as we are members….. Gave up as que was so very long. We have queued for at least twenty minutes in the past, and this has not improved. We appreciate staff are doing their best, but this is not acceptable for the elderly to stand for such a long period of time. We do think that the restaurant and coffee bar should have an increase in staff… Considering cancelling both of our memberships if this does not improve….

Vegan Cookie dough very yummy! Starter tomato something salad and main dish pasta was just ok, i could make much better than that. Would visit again just to eat cookie dough! Service was good! Clean inside!

Just had a fabulous meal there with the hubby and son. We had the BBQ chicken burger,the brisket pizza and the Salmon Risotto. All of which arrived swiftly and were very nice. Had the vegan cookie dough and toblerone for dessert again all of which was delicious. All the staff are amazing and always welcoming and very efficient See you all again soon.

Although it’s a little noisy restaurant this branch is pretty good especially our waitress always been nice , making sure you happy with your meal etc so thanks! We love their chicken wings are nice 😊😋! Thanks

Came for breakfast on Christmas Eve. Our first initial waiter Miles was great. However, he finished and another waitress took over and gave us the bill without us asking. Totally rude and we wanted to have a rest before further drinks. I had stated that I did not ask for a bill and she was miserable afterwards. She is certainly not in the right job. You do not assume people want the bill, just rude and the restaurant was not busy. Higher scores for food and waiter Miles, but she needs to learn not to just hand out the bill when you have not asked.

A surprisingly decent breakfast from a well-known restaurant chain, Frankie & Benny's. With menu items like beef brisket, scrambled on toast, breakfast bap and a full English, there's good choice here. The seating is a little bit of a squeeze, but ours was a party of 6. Coffee and tea isn't refillable as with the likes of Wetherspoons, so the cheaper headline breakfast prices do nudge up a little if you like a few cups as we do. Having said that, the breakfast was very good. Everything was cooked well, the sausages decent, bacon succulent and eggs arrived with runny yolks. The only reason for docking a star for food was that the brisket was omitted on one of the beef brisket dishes. The atmosphere is lively, but we had to speak up at our table to compensate. Parking in plentiful, courtesy of Frankie & Benny's being located at Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre. Overall, very good, so we'll be back. Oh, and a special mention to James who served us. He's quite a hoot and extremely good at his job.

We went here for lunch and had a great time. We both ordered burgers and they arrived very quickly and were really good. The staff were amazing and the place was really clean. Can't go wrong!

Place was vibrant and energetic. We were served by a sweet and lovely lady, who took the time to explain certain combinations of items. Place was busy. Expect to be served atleast 25 minutes after ordering since place is very busy. Good and ample parking spaces. Pleasant place.

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Frankie and Benny's located in Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre, Gillingham, and it was an enjoyable experience overall. Frankie and Benny's offers a diverse menu that caters to various tastes and preferences. From classic Italian dishes to American-style comfort food, there is something for everyone. I opted for their BBQ ribs, and I must say they were finger-licking good! The meat was tender, smothered in a delicious barbecue sauce that had just the right balance of sweetness and smokiness. The portion size was generous, and the meal left me feeling satisfied. The service at Frankie and Benny's was friendly and attentive. The staff members were welcoming and made sure that my dining experience was pleasant. They promptly took my order and checked in regularly to ensure everything was to my liking. The wait time for my food was reasonable, and the presentation was appealing. The restaurant's ambiance was cozy and inviting. The interior was tastefully decorated, creating a warm and comfortable atmosphere. The seating arrangements provided ample privacy, allowing for a relaxed dining experience. The noise level was moderate, making it easy to hold conversations without any disruptions. One aspect that could be improved is the speed of service during busy hours. While the staff was doing their best, at times, there was a slight delay in attending to customer needs. However, it was not a major issue and did not significantly impact my overall experience. The location of Frankie and Benny's within Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre offers convenience and easy accessibility. Parking facilities are available nearby, which makes it convenient for customers to visit. In conclusion, Frankie and Benny's at Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre is a restaurant worth visiting. With its flavorful menu, friendly service, and cozy ambiance, it provides a pleasant dining experience. Whether you're looking for a casual meal with friends or a family gathering, Frankie and Benny's is definitely worth considering.

Good food, nice and hot with it arriving soon after making the order. Tentative staff. Shame all meals didn't come together but majority of them did. Clean and tidy a little pricey for what it is, but suppose everywhere is like that now. Lots of available parking and good selection of food on the menu.

A very well located restaurant with plenty of accessible parking. Friendly waiting staff and very tasty, fresh and enjoyable food. A great menu but sadly not many vegetarian options that are high in protein. The food did take a lot longer than hoped to be served and we were waiting close to 45 mins for fairly straightforward meals. We did have to remind the waitress that the brownie was missing the ice cream and were not given any plates until about 10 minutes of asking, but all things considered, an enjoyable family meal with a good Sunday offer of 2-4-1 on main meals. The prices without this offer are quite unreasonable, e.g. >£10 for a salad, which was primarily rocket served on a base of hummus with salad dressing - the price not justified. Similarly, the kids meal portions are quite small for the price, something that should look to be addressed. Overall, thank you for a good lunch and hopefully the constructive criticism can be worked on.

My family had a great experience at the restaurant. Great food and fast service considering how busy it was. The gentleman who served us (James) had a pleasant approach and went over and above expectations. Great overall visit and we will be returning again.

James the manager could not have been more attentive. Lovely food and a brilliant atmosphere. Thank you to all the team that made the night special on valentines day for me and my husband. We will be returning so i can try more of there amazing menu

The waiter Miles we had was ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!! There was 22 of us he ensured that we all had drinks, the starters were all hot and the mains were hot as well. I have a tomato allergy, and they ensured I was catered for. I thought it was going to be a mess with a group 22 for my grandsons birthday, but it was a FANTASTIC EXPERIENCE. WELL DONE TO THE WAITER AND THE KITCHEN STAFF at F&B YOU KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK. THANKS SO MUCH!!!!!

Food is ok.....not the best tasting. The chicken wing starter was gd. The main course lacked seasoning; may be best suited for ppl on dietary restrictions. The Carbonara we had was swimming in what looked more like milk than heavy cream, and the crispy chicken burger lacked seasoning. However, the warm brownie and ice cream dessert was good.

Great food, nice staff, family friendly restaurant. We really enjoy their breakfasts, especially the beef brisket hash. The coffee is really nice. The staff are always friendly. I was a little gutted I couldn't try their crunchie super shake but there's always next time.

Great food, good vegan selection (although taking the vegan cookie dough off the menu was a huge disappointment).Our waiter James went above and beyond for us at the restaurant. Attentive, friendly, fun and personally found my favourite dessert. Thank you for everything.

Fantastic food, great staff! Have visited many times to get a great Cypriot experience. Highly recommend!!!

This restaurant is a very nice place to eat with traditional Greek cuisine. A good menu with choices to cater for everyone. Staff friendly and helpful and a good atmosphere with traditional Greek music. Definitely worth a visit.

Proper taste of Cyprus! Coming from a Greek Cypriot background, it’s very hard to find a good Cypriot restaurant, when your dad cooks the best Cypriot BBQ’s and you’ve been to Cyprus more times then you can count! But this place is THE ONE. I’ve never had a bad experience here, brought numerous friends here as well that loved it. Everything from the staff and food is top notch! First time I came the sheftalias were cooked a little bit more then I personally like, but not burnt just my taste, looking forward to coming back in the next couple weeks. YA MAS BOSHHHHH 👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻

Had my birthday meal here on Saturday evening and was made to feel special. The food was lovely, cocktails went down very well and the staff was so friendly. I will definitely go back again the owner made a point of speaking to everyone and making them feel welcomed.

Ela Kendro's is a great place to eat. I went with a party of nine and the staff were patient, kind and quick and bringing us our drinks or solving any issues we had come across. (Nothing bad just fussy people in my party). The food was amazing all served quite quickly and was desirably cooked. The atmosphere was also quite nice. I have been here a few times and every time it has been quite busy so the Greek music was slightly drowned out but it also depends on the party you go with. The money you pay at Ela Kendro's is well worth it especially with the amazing friendly service. I would recommend this place and I would also recommend the meze to anyone feeling okay to fast for a day.

We always have a lovely time at Ela Kendro. Tonight we were a table of 18 and the staff couldn’t do enough for us. Sarah and all the team were so efficient & friendly, the food was absolutely delicious and the atmosphere was brilliant as always. Zak always has a big smile and Lenny makes everyone feel so welcome and valued. Thank you all! Highly recommended!

Loved our experience. We went on a Friday evening and you really should try to book a table in advance, got busy from around 6.30. Really nice food, quite big portions we had to take some leftovers away, lots of gluten free options (all of the grill I think, chips, potatoes, most sides and even pitta bread). Service was really attentive and friendly. Thank you.

I took my partner here last night for dinner and won't be going back. The meat was dry and fatty, by the time I finally saw anyone who worked there to ask for some form of sauce to add to the dish by the time they got something our food was dry. No one the whole time asked how the meal was which is poor and wisked it away once we was finished. The waitress who originally seated and took our order was no where to been seen after. It wasn't until I had asked to get the bill and paid is when the lady asked how our meal was but nothing ever got offered only just an apology and wished us a better experience next time. Like that will happen, I've had better Turkish food from the take away next door.

Great place, lovely people. Can't go wrong for a place to eat with so much tasty food. Thanks Lenny

Me and my wife went here for a Sunday lunch. The staff were wonderfully polite and attentive. A real nice family vibe throughout. The food was the star of the show, excellent quality and portion size. My advice is pay the little bit extra to get their slow cooked meat, it will be worth it!!

Small cosy restaurant. Amazing serving staff; welcoming, attentive, patient, pleasant. The food presentation was great. However, my friend and I both found that the meat and fish were too dried out and not flavourful. The roast potatoes were not really roasted....but looked more like just boiled and covered in a tomato sauce. I think I had a bit higher expectations for the food. Nonetheless it has not put me off from returning or encouraging other people to go. The environment is far too relaxing to take it off my list just yet. Also they are having a party for new yrs eve if anyone is looking for somewhere to go.

Good food. Great atmosphere. Brilliant service. Above average prices for good food. The opening patio doors are lovely seems like you are in Greece! The smokers sat right outside isn’t the best as the smoke blows in…

Food was fabulous and staff were very attentive without being in your face. We had the meze for 2. Not got photos from the cold starters or seafood dish because we ate it too quickly but this was the hot starter and the mains. Would definitely recommend and will be going back.

Nice warm atmosphere - food was excellent (quite big portions, too), and staff were attentive, polite, helpful and kind - our waitress was very knowledgeable about the food on the menu which helped us decide what to choose (as there were so many lovely options 😊). Have been there several times now and look forward to my next visit. Only issues I would mention though are that there are two small flights of stairs to the loos and parking in that area is a bit of a pain.

Not too bad . Sometimes lovely sometimes not so . Iv got around 15 boxes so far and seems a tad inconsistent . Sweet chicken curry sometimes has 0 sauce , sometimes loads and sometimes a little like a paste . Shredded chicken tastes different every time but tbh don’t mind as it’s never tasted bad . Iv had boxes half full and others full with 85% rice and others with a real array of each item . I’ll upload some photos to highlight what I’m stating but on the whole it’s worth a go / pretty decent value .

Fantastic!! Food was amazing, hot and fresh. Rav was very friendly and provided excellent service. I highly recommend it . Price was reasonable. We will definitely be returning!

I have to say food was 10/10 Customer service was 10/10 the owner was really nice & gave a free shot of Bailey at the end which was cute! Price range 10/10 really affordable yummy food! Will come there again definitely 🫶🏾

I placed an order this evening and the food is absolutely AMAZING. Such value for money and a great selection. I really like the whole concept because you get to taste several dishes for a set price. The owner Rav was a really lovely guy and incredibly welcoming. I look forward to my next visit and I would give you 10/10 if I could!

Absolutely amazing food, great customer service from owners who clearly love what they do. Would highly recommend and cannot wait to go back!

There are literally no words to describe how incredible this place is. I read all the reviews before going and it still does it no justice. The restaurant was clean. The food was impeccable. Hands down the best Indian food I’ve had in Kent till date. The flavours and spice made me miss home. The service is truly second to none. I’ve lived in 3 continents and travelled to a few more and in all my life, have never been treated with so much gracious hospitality by restaurant staff. At one point, our lovely server was so polite and apologetic when she forgot to take our drinks order. I didn’t care, it wasn’t even that long of a wait. My sweet 8 month old was treated with the utmost respect and care. Our friends who we were treating were absolutely floored by the service. I’m looking forward to coming again. Really amazing and lovely restaurant. Great value for money!

Popped in as I was passing through and received a really nice welcome from Ravi who explained whats an offer. Really great Punjabi food with tandoori chicken and chilli chicken with plain rice and salad - hit the spot and will definitely be back and highly recommend! Thanks

Wonderful food, atmosphere and service, reallly friendly and welcoming, first time visit so they where happy to walk us through what they had to offer, great value for money and ended up taking some home :)

Always was a big fan of Bollywood's Buffet, which is now discontinued and the venue has reformatted it's cuisine to suit daytime grab and go food in the form of the 'Bollywood Box' (there is still room to eat in as well). I ordered the large box at just under a tenner. It was packed to the brim with delicious choices, and Oh how I have missed their Chilli Chicken! I got to try some new items, like the Masala Fries 'Scrummy' and Mango/chilli chicken bites 'delish'. The food continues to be of the best quality and service is impeccable. If you, like me are a big fan of OMAD (One meal a day) or just love authentic Sikh cuisine then I would highly recommend you give it a try...

I entered here ready to deliver an order & commented loosely on how wonderful the restaurant smelled. I couldn’t believe it, the kind gentleman behind the counter made me a small bowl with all sorts that I could sample. Just from this alone, I wish I lived closer to order over & over again. The food was delicious. I am so grateful to you. I fully recommend for everyone reading this to pay this restaurant a visit 😍

This is a small family run business and the food is excellent every time we visit. A smaller selection to choose from than most buffets, but the standards never change. There are also options on a menu to choose from and they will do their best to cater for anybody. You are always welcomed like part of the family and the customer service carries on from there.

Buffet dinner is nice, lots of veg and non veg varities, good selection and quality of food at very reasonable price. Owners/staff are very friendly and welcoming. Overall delicious food, nice ambience and excellent customer service. Best kebabs in town, a must try Indian restaurant!