Ochre at The National Gallery

To explain I post details of my email of complaint I sent on 26th June 2025 and to which I have not had the courtesy of a reply. It was copied to Customer Services as well. The Manager, Ochre Restaurant National Gallery Trafalgar Square London WC2N 5DN Dear Sir or Madam, We ate at your restaurant early on the 19th June when it was quiet. We went there because we have been a few times before and it is conveniently located. On the last occasion we ate at the Ochre the service left a lot to be desired but we thought it was a one off. Sadly, this was to prove not to be the case. While there were a number of staff about it took a long time for us to be seated although there were unoccupied serving staff. When we were seated there were only a few other people dining. It took sometime for the server Ishika to come to our table to take our order and while she told us she would be our server for the meal we never saw her again except in the distance. The service was erratic, we had to keep catching people's attention to get served and after our main meal was finished the plates were left on the table for a long time. So long we stacked them on one side so we were not looking down on them. The staff tried on a few occasions to remove plates and food before we had finished. The meal itself was good but the standard of service was very poor and the restaurant was not busy. Oddly at some times there were almost no staff in the restaurant at all. Now sometimes serving staff play a game of messing a table about for their own amusement and to see what happens; I have worked hotels and restaurants and bars. I am not saying that happened on this occasion but we were pointedly ignored when trying to attract someone's attention. When the bill was presented a bottle of water Kingsdown Sparkling was missing (£4.50) so I asked for it to be added. I was reluctant to pay the service charge of £12.50 but I discussed the matter with my wife and we decided to let it go. We will not be returning. Yours faithfully, Leonard Crane