This is my first ever "rant" on here, and i don't normally advocate them, as you never know if the individual you're ranting about is reading what you have put! But, what the heck!....

Liz and I went to see a caterer this afternoon, after making an appointment with her three weeks ago, when she hinted that our venue wanted to take a 10% cut of her takings, and as a result, she was thinking of removing herself from their preferred caterer's list.

Anyway fast forward three weeks to this afternoon, and our meeting. She arrived 20 minutes late, due to traffic, but that happens. She sat us down and said, "sorry guys, the date has been booked, due to an email from myself saying that I had found another caterer, and wished to cancel!" Total fabricated lies! Why would we keep an appointment if we cancelled?? She must think i have "mug" written on my forehead!

I asked to see this email where I said i wished to cancel, and she was all too quick to say that she had deleted it(!) She hadn't deleted it, as there was no email of that nature to delete!

Anyway, we left, I was quietly fuming, and I said to liz, no way did I send that email, so We have just got back, and I went through ALL of our correspondence, and there is nowhere to suggest that I had cancelled. So I have emailed her, inviting her to explain her actions;

"Further to our meeting of the 28th April (saturday), where you had claimed that I had sent you an email, stating that I had found another caterer and wished to cancel, I can now confirm to you this this is a total fabrication. I have included all of our correspondence between us regarding this matter, and as you can see, there is nothing in my emails to suggest that i had cancelled with you. If we had cancelled with you, I would like you to explain to me why Liz and myself would go tot he trouble of keeping an appointment with you?

Also, when I asked to see the email in your office this afternoon, you very quickly told me that you had deleted it. As you can see below, this is untrue, as there was no email to delete. If you can prove to me otherwise, then I wish to see this email, along with the full headers.

I Refer back to our initial meeting on the 7th april, when you hinted that you were thinking of removing yourself from Sherborne Castle's caterer's list, due to the castle demanding 10% of your earnings. I am putting it to you that you did not want our business based on this, and you deliberately cancelled the date (6th july 2013), using the fabricated story of an email from myself , saying that I had found another caterer as an excuse to do this.

As a businesswoman, I am sure you can appreciate that time is very precious, not only to yourself, but to ourselves as well, and I am sure you can understand when we say that we do not appreciate having a wasted journey, and our time being wasted. How would you feel, If either Liz or myself came to you for a job interview with a view to potential employment, and we didn't turn up, and wasted your time as a result?

I await your response with interest,

Clive Johnson and Liz Eve"

Suffice it to say, no money has changed hands, and nor will it ever change hands! At least its best to find out what she is like now, rather than after we had potentially booked her!

oh she wouldn't have taken a deposit without confirming the date was free. I wouldn't allow it. It just annoyed me that we had most of our afternoon wasted, due to her not growing a pair, and letting us know before hand. The whole thing just doesn't add up...

Were going to get in touch with our venue, and see if they can help us. All we need at the end of the day, is welcome drinks after the ceremony, no food as such, so it's nothing over-complicated!;o)

Ohh that's what we intend to do, depending on her response to my email. not only our venues, but all the other venues in the south west/Yeovil area

She also runs a coffee shop, and it didn't help matters, as her food and cappuchino is absolutely delicious!!! lol

Just contacted our venue. She has told me that we can supply our own drinks, and they don't charge corkage, but we have to manage it ourselves. If we want a waitres however, its £3.50 per head.

At least they can help anyway, which is good!

Thats terrible........think yourself lucky you found out now how flakey she is.

IF that email had existed, she would have either kept it on her computer or printed and filed it for proof if it was ever needed.....

Well, they have. Fortunately, our wedding planner is absoloutely lovely. I want to take her home with me! Lol!

Wer'e just doing some sums now, with amview,tompaying amwaitress to help us serve drinks, but its looking OK to good:-)

I haven't heard back from. That caterer yet, and if I don't then it's an admission of guilt in my view.

An update. She has replied, and still plays hardball, even when the evidence is stacked against her.:-)
"Dear Clive & Liz
I am very sorry if I misunderstood your email, or if I have read an email incorrectly, I have checked my deleted mail but Im afraid it automatically deletes when the box is full, as I am sure you can appreciate I do have a lot of emails so if a customer does not wish to use my services I do delete correspondence.

I can assure you that I have made no false allegations, and I am afraid you have jumped to conclusions saying that I have used this as an excuse because I do not wish to do business with Sherborne Castle.

I do appreciate that your time is very precious and again am sorry for any inconvenience I may have caused.

Kind regards

Claire Andrews"

Exactly what I was just thinking. Shes been found out, but won't admit it. Simple as. If anyone has jumped to conclusions, it's her.

Here is all the correspondence between us:
Dear Clive & Liz
I am very sorry if I misunderstood your email, or if I have read an email incorrectly, I have checked my deleted mail but Im afraid it automatically deletes when the box is full, as I am sure you can appreciate I do have a lot of emails so if a customer does not wish to use my services I do delete correspondence.

I can assure you that I have made no false allegations, and I am afraid you have jumped to conclusions saying that I have used this as an excuse because I do not wish to do business with Sherborne Castle.

I do appreciate that your time is very precious and again am sorry for any inconvenience I may have caused.

Kind regards

Claire Andrews

On 28/04/2012 15:09, clive johnson wrote:
Dear Claire,

Further to our meeting of the 28th April (saturday), where you had claimed that I had sent you an email, stating that I had found another caterer and wished to cancel, I can now confirm to you this this is a total fabrication. I have included all of our correspondence between us regarding this matter, and as you can see, there is nothing in my emails to suggest that i had cancelled with you.  If we had cancelled with you, I would like you to explain to me why Liz and myself would go tot he trouble of keeping an appointment with you? 

Also, when I asked to see the email in your office this afternoon, you very quickly told me that you had deleted it. As you can see below, this is untrue, as there was no email to delete. If you can prove to me otherwise, then I wish to see this email, along with the full headers. 

I Refer back to our initial meeting on the 7th april, when you hinted that you were thinking of removing yourself from Sherborne Castle's caterer's list, due to the castle demanding 10% of your earnings.  I am putting it to you that you did not want our business based on this, and you deliberately cancelled the date (6th july 2013), using the fabricated story of an email from myself , saying that I had found another caterer as an excuse to do this. 

As a businesswoman, I am sure you can appreciate that time is very precious, not only to yourself, but to ourselves as well, and I am sure you can understand when we say that we do not appreciate having a wasted journey, and our time being wasted. How would you feel, If either Liz or myself came to you for a job interview with a view to potential employment, and we didn't  turn up, and wasted your time as a result?

I await your response with interest,

Clive Johnson and Liz Eve

On 7 Apr 2012, at 11:03, Claire Andrews wrote:

Dear Clive
Unfortunately I am not available on Saturday the 21st, I can make the 28th April if that is convenient for you please do get back to me.
Best wishes

Claire Andrews

On 06/04/2012 21:26, clive johnson wrote:
Hello Claire.
Ideally, we are only available at weekends.  We can appreciate that saturday ios probably your busiest day, but is there any chance you could fit us in on the saturday 21st?

Kind regards,

Clive


On 3 Apr 2012, at 09:35, Claire Andrews wrote:

Dear Clive
Thank you for your email.
Re meeting I am available tomorrow from 9.30am until lunch time, or any-time after Easter -  week commencing 16th April between 9am - 4pm

I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards
Claire Andrews

On 02/04/2012 18:03, clive johnson wrote:
Hello Claire,

Thanks for getting back to me.  I think it would now be better if we could make an appointment with you to discuss our requirements further. Basically we want some light refreshments and drinks to be served for an hour or so in between the end of the ceremony and beginning of the reception. (i.e. canapes, sandwiches +pimms etc for the adults)

If you could email me back, and let me know when is a suitable time for you.

Kind regards,

Clive Johnson
 
On 2 Apr 2012, at 10:38, Claire Andrews wrote:

Dear Clive
Thank you for your inquiry - re wedding on the 6th July @ Sherborne Castle

Please see attached sample menu and quote and our standard menus for your approval.
Should you have any queries please do not hesitate to get back to me.

Kind regards
Claire Andrews

On 26/03/2012 19:15, clive johnson wrote:
Dear Claire,

We are getting married at Sherborne Castle on July 6th next year, and I notice you are on the list of preferred suppliers for the castle (that's where i got your details from), so I am writing to inquire about your prices for 2013. It seems logical to ask you first, as you are only five miles down the road.

Our ceremony is at 11.30am in the solarium, and by the time the ceremony is over it will be midday-ish, and after that, it will be photos, so it will be nudging lunchtime which means a lot of hungry guests!;-)

All we are after is something to keep guests' hunger pains at bay while we are getting photos taken. So nothing too fancy, but we also want some subsantial food, if you understand what i mean. We also need drinks as well.

We are looking at serving this after the ceremony for about an hour and a half maximum.

The number of guests will be 60 maximum (six of those will be kids).


Could you get back to me with a few suggestions perhaps? (and prices, bearing in mind we cannot spend a fortune) :-)

Clive


As you can see, there is no emails from me saying that I wished to cancel. So where she dragged this idea up from I just don't know!

No, I know. That's the bit we don't understand either. You will notice that she hasn't ackowledged that in her last email...