Has this really gone downhill or did we catch them on an off day?

God I hope not! Love that cafe…

Still great the last time I was there.

Based on our most recent experience there (last year) I’d say yes. Two words came to mind – health – hazzard.

Been fine all the times I’ve been. More hub than peel centre though.

OP – what was the problem?

OP – what was the problem?

Really surly (no pun intended) service.
Really slow service when there was no-one else being served.
A tuna pannini which only contained the suspicion of tuna.
Dirty cutlery and crockery.
Sticky tables.
Filled with smoke from burning oil in the kitchen.
Having to listen to the staff slagging of a biker walking past outside in quite inappropriate terms.

I’m really not fussy but all of that put together with a couldn’t care less attitude rather tempered my enjoyment.

I do hope they’re reading this. Captive audience of punters = sod all motivation.

I had a similar experience to slim

Captive audience of punters = sod all motivation.

That was the feeling I got.

Sadly, I too got the feeling they were not bothered.
My son stood at counter, behind one bloke who was clearly known to the cafe, and my son was ignored. My lad just had cake n coke, but after 5mins of him not coming back out, I went in to check and when asked to pay got a silent response and a hand stuck out – the conversation with bloke carried on without even acknowledging I and son were there – just change handed silently back.

I’d have walked out. I cant stand lack of acknowledgement or manners. If you dont like your job eff off and let someone else have a go.
Dont get me started on staff having conversations whilst you’re waiting.

Just to add that the Forestry Commission did a survey last year on the visitor experience at Laggan to inform the future development of the facility, and I made my feelings about the cafe known on that. In line with the OP’s observations and some …

someone should send them a link to this

My experience of the Wolftrax cafe is also negative.

We went recently with the kids and the first impression of the cafe was a badly scrawled sign stating “These are NOT public toilets”. Nice. Once inside the NOT public toilets there were further signs commanding users to take their own rubbish home as “we are a private business”.

The unique welcome continued inside I ordered some lunch for the family. Tomato soup, the boys favourite, was on the menu so I requested two child’s portions. A disembodied voice from the kitchen barked that they only do adult portions as the soup came in cans. I ordered hoping that the boys were hungrier than usual.

When the food arrived it was delivered sporadically and dumped on our table with no comment. Consuming it was a pleasure-less experience. Now when we visit Laggan we take our own snack and a flask.

TJ – I sincerely hope that the FC are aware of the poor image the proprietors project of a great destination in the national park.

Can’t say this reflects my experiences of the place tbh.

I thought it was ok, bit rough and ready but no real problems.

The toilets are for facility users and why should they pay to have your rubbish disposed of?
Moan to FC on these points if you have an issue with it. Would you expect a restaurant you weren’t dining at to let you use their facilities?

The toilets are for facility users

Are you really sure about the FC terms for the provision of toilets at Laggan? I doubt you are.

Would you expect a restaurant you weren’t dining at to let you use their facilities?

It’s not a restaurant (Oh no). It’s a prime visitor attraction in the heart of the national park. As such it should be welcoming to all visitors. Sadly the proprietors are the diametrical opposite.

Moan to FC on these points if you have an issue with it.

That is the only sensible comment in your post, so yes I will complain to the FC, it seems their email address is invernessross&skye@forestry.gsi.gov.uk. Thanks for the suggestion!

Are you really sure about the FC terms for the provision of toilets at Laggan? I doubt you are.

Are you?

I’m not sure there aren’t, but I can’t think of another FC car park in the Cairngorms NP with free toilet and rubbish dumping facilities.

To put this in context, I’ve been on the receiving end of enough traditional highland welcomes in my time. I’ve just not experienced the poor service mentioned at Laggan in my many trips to the place.

Maybe voicing your concerns at the time of receiving the shonky service may also help.

Maybe voicing your concerns at the time of receiving the shonky service may also help too.

I did that and the response was not a model of good customer service!

Are you?

Sorry, I should have been clear that “I doubt you are” was a euphemism for “you are wrong”.

Maybe voicing your concerns at the time of receiving the shonky service may also help.

As a consumer I prefer to make a resolution to spend no more money at sub-standard establishments such as Laggan Wolftrax. I also make a concerted effort to alert other consumers that there are better establishments to bless with their custom.

To be clear the issue here was not the result of a mistake that could be rectified with a discussion, it was the extreme rudeness of the staff and proprietors. One chance only…..

Can’t say it was great last time I went either! The younger lass seemed much friendlier than the dismbodied shouty voice in the kitchen though.

Spin – guess you might get a better response here:

That is the only sensible comment in your post, so yes I will complain to the FC, it seems their email address is invernessross&skye@forestry.gsi.gov.uk. Thanks for the suggestion!

My thoughts on this echo bigyinn’s

Can’t say my experience was favourable either.

bG – as I have no evidence to the contrary, I will defer to your more informed position.
Good luck with your complaint to the FC.

i’ve never been too impressed with it (especially with the rather fine Laggan Tearoom and Pottery just down the road). I always felt that the people who run the Wolftrax tearoom were much less commited to the project than the 2 guys who gave up their office jobs to set up this amazing trail centre…maybe the cafe staff thought they’d drawn the short straw running the cafe…I’m not sure I wouldn’t get peed-off and depressed being stuck in there.

always found the foxy lady quite friendly and service good!

Don’t be British. If they are crap. tell them. It’s the only way we can improve Britain’s mediocre attempt at the service industry.

But be constructive at the same time – Are they visitscotland members? Have they taken the opportunities for training and considered grading to maintain standards? If not. Perhaps they should join. They should also consider contributing time and effort to any local Tourist assoc. or marketing group.

Have I always been “lucky” then? I’ve never had any issue there at all. The staff have always been pleasant.

That thing about leaving rubbish is fair enough. As a commercial enterprise, they have to pay to have rubbish uplifted. Why should they pay for non-customers rubbish too?

We appreciate all feedback we receive whether it be positive and negative, in all situations their are two sides to every story. I don’t believe in being drawn into to mud slinging exercises on a forum as it doesn’t have any positive outcome, we would much prefer any customer who has an issue to come forward at the time. On this occasion I feel we should provide a response, their may well be some things that the staff could have done better but I don’t believe it was as bad as some individuals would have you believe. I am not going to pretend that the facilities are not now showing their age at Wolftrax, they are and it is a very challenging environment for our staff to work in, especially through the Winter months. The buildings that are currently in place are on temporary planning and were only meant to last a maximum of 5 years not the current 7.5 years. As things stand at the moment our current lease from the FC runs out at the end of this year with no guarantees for the future unless a new Forest Centre can be funded and constructed, a challenge in the current financial climate. Believe me we want to offer our customers and staff better facilities but it is impossible to invest a considerable amount of money and time in something you may not have in less than 12 months time. Some may just get their wish and be able to sit in the car park with their packed lunch and no facilities what so ever.

Finally just to clarify –

The apparent slagging of a rider was with regards to him riding without a helmet and the madness of it given the injuries we see on a regular basis to riders riding with helmets.

As a private business we have to pay for refuge collection at considerable cost, we are happy to dispose of rubbish that is related to products purchased from us. If you want bins in the Car Park for your personal rubbish ask the FC to provide them, have a look in other FC car parks in the area, I doubt you will find any.

Happy trails folks!

so not your fault then, it s them pesky customers 😆

Let me start Wolverine, by saying that I want to like the Wolftrax cafe. That just hasn’t been very easy the last couple of times I’ve visited.

I don’t believe in being drawn into to mud slinging exercises on a forum as it doesn’t have any positive outcome, we would much prefer any customer who has an issue to come forward at the time.

What you have here is far from mud slinging just myself and others airing some pretty straightforward hygiene / customer service issues. For what it’s worth I did come forward at the time and got pretty short shrift.

I think everyone appreciates the issues you face with the building however that is no excuse for most of the issues raised on here. We don’t expect silver service we do expect a clean environment and prompt, polite service.

The apparent slagging of a rider was with regards to him riding without a helmet and the madness of it given the injuries we see on a regular basis to riders riding with helmets.

Admirable sentiments. However it was the comments on the chaps baldness I thought inappropriate.

My suggestion to you would be that instead of thinking in terms of excuses for these issues you should start thinking in terms of solutions.

Looking at the FC site Laggan Wolftrax, I’d have the impression that toilets are available. If the facilities are only for people who buy food in the cafe, that should probably be made clear, so that people know they’ll have to take a dump in the forest!

I haven’t been up at Laggan for about a year, but I thought the cafe was okay when we went – not particularly memorable for either good or bad reasons.

Meh, I *want* to support local business such as this, and have no issue at all with either paying to park, or going for a brew, or buying stuff from the shop while there. In fact, I would try to do so to support such a business, and try to do it wherever we go. It is still a cheap day out, even if it is family meal at cafe or a shiny bike part.
I can also cope with less than perfect buildings and facilities – IMO it is simple fact of how FC/other landlords run stuff, and frankly I don’t care about posh new builds and £m’s stupidity. I care about the place, the riding and the wee business making a living for someone.
I was dissapointed in the lack of care that the wee business (the cafe) was showing. The shop and uplift on the other hand was as friendly as and great 🙂
Power of the internet and all that, wolverine turns up and gets feedback and sticks head above parapet. Fair play.
It won’t stop me going, and it won’t stop me spending a few quid while there.

I found it OK when I was there last year.

Fair play to Wolverine for replying, its not easy to please all the people all the time.

Sometimes though the standards of service in Scotland really lack what it should be. Each customer is special and deserves to be treated as if they are, whether they are asking directions, buying a mars bar or a slap up meal for 12, they all should get first class service. It does not cost anything to be polite, attentive and friendly.

I was in there a couple of years ago and even then the place was showing it’s age a bit, and I can appreciate that that is something that Wolverine (are you the owner?) can probably do little about.

What you/they can do something about is the standard of service, which is entirely non-reliant on the facilities, costs nothing yet can reap massive rewards. When I was there there service was pretty slow (and we were the only two in there) and, frankly, a bit surly. It annoys me to get the impression that I’m causing an inconvenience by walking into an establishment (cafe/shop/whatever) and asking for the service that they are there to provide. That was, I have to say, the impression I got at Laggan.

To put this in context, I’ve been on the receiving end of enough traditional highland welcomes in my time.

Yep, me too – which is why we’ve not been back (north of 7-Stanes) for nearly 10 years now. I spent many happy holidays when younger in the Highlands and managed to persuade my wife to take a holiday there. Never again.

Spent the same as going to Barbados (which we did the year before, and then the year after).

Far too expensive and just felt like a penned cash-cow.

Was there on Friday, nothing has changed from the comments made previosly. Surly service, staff got flustered when more than 3 customers gathered at the serving counter, no idea how to make a hot chocolate but made a perfect Luke warm chocolate. Food that was coming out didn’t look that great IMHO. Home bakes were ok on the plus side.Hand was outstretched looking for payment before informing customer of amount owed, give me a idea of how much 1st.

What is the obsession with “do you want cheese with that” with everything?

Was there any need for the staff member to be doing the ironing in the seated area?

[Sometimes though the standards of service in Scotland really lack what it should be]

I have found the further away you go from the big cities the service is lacking all over the UK.