I booked a table at Rudy’s for Valentine’s Day and received an email explaining that the restaurant was fully booked indoors, but that a heated, sheltered terrace space was available instead. I replied to confirm that this was absolutely fine, as I was really looking forward to dining there. At no point was I informed that an additional confirmation was required or that the terrace space was in such high demand.

However, when we arrived on Valentine’s Day, the host informed us that we needed a separate confirmation and that over 160 people were hoping to secure that space, which was being allocated on a “first come, first served” basis. This was very disappointing, as none of this urgency was communicated beforehand.

Having travelled all the way from Coventry, it was extremely frustrating to be turned away at the door. Clearer communication would have made a significant difference to our experience.