Originally Posted by
pbkd
Glad it's not just me. I went to the place a few times pre-covid, until once when I went there when no-one was available. No problem as I hadn't booked ahead, I'd figured it was possible that might be the case and had decided ahead of time if noone could see me right away I would either go to the pub nearby and wait (if it would be a short wait) or just move on and try another place in town.
When I asked Angela how long until a girl is available, she said not long (can't remember exactly how many minutes she said, can remember thinking that's no big deal, I'll come back then - would have been something like 15-20min I guess). She then offered to reserve the girl for that time for me. I didn't really expect that and was entirely prepared to take my chances on whether someone else would call up in the meantime and book or swing by before I got back and jump in ahead of me - I didn't think either was likely given how short the wait she indicated was, and how close by I was going to be anyhow.
I said, ok, if you want to do that I would appreciate it, thanks, leave my name for the booking (on her request) and move to leave. She then puts her hand on my arm and asks me to pay (presumably in full) upfront so she can reserve the girl.
To be clear, she knows I'm about to leave the shop before coming back when the girl is free, and wants me to pay in cash upfront before walking out without having received any service. I've never been asked for anything like this by anyone else before or since.
Regardless of how many times I have been to a shop previously, I'm pretty serious about not being parted with my cash unless I'm in the venue and the service is about to be provided, and I don't think I'm alone in that. Walked off immediately to another shop and had an alright (not great) session there.
Seeing reviews on here (and remembering how good the service there on my previous visits) I have been tempted occasionally to return, but from the comments in this thread, it seems like that would have been as likely to result in frustration (one way or another) as not, so it's probably just as well I didn't.
But yeah when I made my original post there was a lot of commentary about how good a job she was doing running the place etc (which I would previously have agreed with) and only the occasional comment about how she can sometimes be a bit weird. Maybe this was an early sign of the odd behaviour that seems to have become more widespread since.